^,,*UB^«Wz;,,^^^ 


Presented    to    Princeton    Theological   Seminary 
By  the  l^ev.  Wendell  Pi»itne,  D.t), 

To  be  Kept  Always  as  a   Separate  Collection. 


NORTH  DUTCH  CHURCH. 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE 


Wifmiih  frot.  pntfl)  Cl)«rfl)  of  Jllliani), 


DELIVERED    ON 


THANKSGIVING  DAY,  NOVEMBER  26, 1857, 


THE  NOETH  DUTCH  CHUECH, 


BY  THE  PASTOR, 


REV.  E.  P/HOGERS,  D.  D. 


PUBLISHED    BY   REQUEST    OF    CONSISTORY. 


NEW    YOEK: 
BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION 

OF  THE 

REFORMED  PROTESTANT  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

337    BROADWAY. 

1858. 


MDNSELL,    PRINTER,    ALBANY. 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE. 


Walk  about  Zion,  and  go  round  ahout  her;  tell  the  towers 
thereof.  Mark  ye  well  her  bulwarks,  consider  her  palaces;  that 
ye  may  tell  it  to  the  generation  following. — Psalm  xlviii:   12,  13. 

Thus  does  the  pious  psalmist  exhort  us  to 
note  with  zealous  care,  the  history  and  charac- 
ter of  the  Church  of  God.  To  trace  out  that 
history,  to  record  her  progress,  to  take  note  of 
God's  dealings  with  her  from  time  to  time,  and 
testify  to  her  advancement  and  triumph,  is  a 
grateful  task,  and  a  solemn  duty.  Especially 
when  that  history  runs  over  the  track  of  centu- 
ries, should  this  duty  be  discharged.  For  as 
the  river  widens  its  channel,  and  bears  richer 
freight  on  its  bosom,  as  it  flows  farther  and 
faster  from  its  source,  so  as  we  follow  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church  down  the  stream  of  time, 
we  find  it  richer  in  interest,  and  more  deeply 
laden  with  the  treasures  of  the  Divine  presence 
and  blessing. 


And  what  is  true  of  the  church  at  large,  is 
no  less  true  of  individual  churches  and  congre- 
gations. We  regard  it  as  the  solemn  duty  of 
every  church  to  keep  a  faithful  record  of  its 
history,  and  to  afford  the  opportunity  to  suc- 
ceeding generations  to  know  something  of  its 
origin,  its  progress,  its  vicissitudes,  its  foes, 
its  struggles  and  its  triumphs.  The  ancient 
Jews  were  required  "  to  instruct  their  children 
that  they  might  convey  throughout  all  genera- 
tions the  history  of  those  Divine  interpositions 
and  mercies  with  which  they  had  been  fa- 
vored." And  the  obligation  is  no  less  binding 
upon  Christian  churches,  thus  to  keep  in  per- 
petual remembrance  the  dealings  of  God  with 
them  for  the  information  and  encouragement  of 
succeeding  generations. 

Impelled  by  such  considerations,  I  have 
undertaken  to  prepare  in  a  concise  and  sum- 
mary form,  a  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  Re- 
formed Protestant  Dutch  Church  of  Albany, 
being  the  Church  with  which  we  are  happily 
connected  in  our  several  relations  as  pastor, 
officers,  families  and  communicants.  I  have 
sought  to  make  this  brief,  but  comprehensive, 
including  all  the  main  facts  in  our  history,  so 
far  as  they  could  be  gathered  from  accessible 


sources,  but  going  slightly  into  details  which 
would  swell  the  sketch  into  dimensions  utterly 
beyond  the  limits  afforded  by  the  present  occa- 
sion. 

Before  proceeding,  however,  to  the  history, 
let  us  notice  for  a  moment  the  name  and  the 
origin  of  the  Church  to  which  we  belong.  Our 
name  is  ''  The  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch 
Church  of  Albany."  We  are  the  Protestant 
Dutch  Church,  because  we  are  descended  from 
those  in  the  sixteenth  century,  who  boldly  pro- 
tested against  the  authority  of  the  pope,  and  the 
false  and  unscriptural  tenets  and  practices  of 
the  Church  of  Rome.  We  are  the  Reformed  Pro- 
testant Dutch  Church  because  we  are  of  those 
who  differed  from  some  of  the  early  Protestants, 
and  from  Luther  himself,  on  some  points,  par- 
ticularly in  respect  to  the  presence  of  the  hu- 
manity of  Christ  in  the  Holy  Supper.  We  are 
the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  be- 
cause we  are  descended  from  that  branch  of  the 
Reformed  Church  which  was  organized  in 
Holland.  Our  doctrinal  standards  and  polity 
are  derived  primarily  from  the  action  of  those 
who  met  at  Antwerp  in  1563,  ''and  adopted  a 
system  of  principles  and  rules  which  laid  the 
foundation,  and  in  a  great  measure  formed  the 


full  texture  of  church  government  and  order 
adopted  by  subsequent  synods." 

"We  bear  a  name,  every  word  of  which  is 
connected  with  the  grandest  historical  associa- 
tions and  the  noblest  memories  of  the  past.  It 
associates  us  with  some  of  the  brightest  names 
in  the  catalogue  of  God's  illustrious  servants. 
It  dates  back  more  than  three  hundred  years, 
to  the  day  when  six  princes  of  the  German  em- 
pire made  their  manly  protest  against  the 
decrees  of  the  Diet  of  Spires,  and  associates  us 
with  that  glorious  era,  when,  at  the  command 
of  God,  light,  the  light  of  the  Reformation, 
illumined  the  dark  ages  and  brought  freedom 
to  imprisoned  souls.  It  connects  us  with 
such  illustrious  names  as  Wessel  Gansevoort 
and  Rudolf  Agricola;^  as  Luther,  Calvin,  Zuin- 
glius,  Knox,  Cranmer  and  others,  who  labored 
with  zeal  and  devotion  in  the  cause  of  God's 
truth  in  Germany,  Switzerland,  France,  the 
Netherlands,  Scotland  and  England.  And  it 
connects  us  with  that  land  which  was  first  re- 
deemed from  the  jaws  of  the  sea  by  the  energy 
and  industry  of  its  inhabitants,  and  afterwards 
became  the  centre  of  commerce,  the  mistress 
of  the  seas,  and  the  arena  for  the  noblest  exhi- 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  A. 


bitions    of   pure    patriotism,    heroic    courage, 
sublime  fortitude  and  martyr  devotion  to  the 
right   which   the    world    has   ever   witnessed. 
Our  Mother  Church  was  distinguished  in  that 
day  for  the  profound   learning  of  her  theolo- 
gians, the  devotion  of  her  pastors,  the  purity  of 
her  creed,  and  the  scriptural  beauty  of  her  forms 
of  worship.     She   opened   her   arms    freely  to 
welcome  the  fugitive  Huguenot,  the  outlawed 
Jew,  and  the  exiled  Puritan.     She  sheltered  in 
her  bosom  the  wanderer  from  the  valleys   of 
Piedmont,  and  the  mountains  of  Scotland.    She 
had  drank  of  the  bitter  cup  of  persecution,  and 
the    sufferer    for   conscience    sake,    though    a 
stranger  to  her  land  and  her  dialect,  was  ever 
hailed  as  a  brother  in  their  common  Lord.     It 
is   needless  to   speak   of  the  learning   of  her 
scholars,  the  genius  of  her  artists,  the  prowess 
of  her  warriors.     They  have  all  hewed  out  for 
themselves  enduring  niches  in  the  Temple  of 
Fame. 

Such  are  the  associations  and  the  memories 
connected  with  our  name  and  origin.  And  it 
is  worthy  of  notice,  that  those  noble  men  who 
landed  on  Plymouth  Rock,  and  to  whom  this 
western  world  owes  so  much,  came  from  their 
own  land  by  way  of  the  land  of  your  fathers, 


8 

where  for  twelve  years  they  found  a  safe  retreat 
from  persecution,  and  enjoyed  the  Christian 
hospitality  of  their  Dutch  brethren.  That 
twelve  years  of  sojourn  in  the  Netherlands 
might  have  been  no  unimportant  portion  of  the 
training  of  the  Pilgrims,  for  the  work  which  lay 
before  them  on  the  rocky  shores  of  New  Eng- 
land. 

In  the  autumn  of  1609,  Hendrik  Hudson 
anchored  his  little  vessel  in  the  river  which 
bears  his  name,  opposite  the  bank  on  which  now 
stands  the  city  of  Albany.  In  1614,  six  years 
before  the  landing  of  the  Mayflower  at  Ply- 
mouth, trading  posts  were  established  here  and 
at  New  York,  then  Fort  Orange  and  Manhattan. 
The  first  permanent  agricultural  colony  was 
established  in  New  Netherlands  in  1623.  In 
1630,  a  tract  of  land  around  Fort  Orange  was 
purchased  by  Kilian  Van  Rensselaer,  and  a 
colony  was  at  once  planted  here  of  which  he 
was  the  head,  or  patroon.  Kilian  Van  Rensse- 
laer, was  a  merchant  of  Amsterdam,  a  dealer  in 
pearls,  and  a  director  in  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company.  The  tract  purchased  by  him  of  the 
Indians  was  twenty-four  miles  long  and  forty- 
eight  broad;  containing  over  700,000  acres 
of  land,  lying  now  in  Albany,  Rensselaer  and 


Columbia  counties.  This  gentleman  seems 
to  have  regarded  the  institutions  of  religion 
as  a  very  essential  element  of  prosperity  for 
his  colony,  and  his  first  efforts  were  directed 
towards  their  establishment  and  support.  In 
the  year  1642,  he  secured  the  services  of 
the  Rev.  Johannes  Megapolensis,  who  was  at 
that  time  the  pastor  of  two  congregations  in 
Holland,  and  in  good  repute  as  a  man  of  learn- 
ing and  piety.  The  call  which  was  sent  to  Do- 
mine  Megapolensis,  states  that  "  By  the  state  of 
navigation  in  the  East  and  West  Indies  a  door 
is  opened  through  the  special  providence  of 
God,  also  in  New  Netherlands  for  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  salva- 
tion of  men,  as  good  fruits  have  been  already 
witnessed  there  through  God's  mercy."^  It 
was  signed  by  the  president  and  scribe  of  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam,  in  Classical  Assembly 
at  Amsterdam,  March  22d,  1642. 

The  salary  which  the  domine  was  to  receive 
for  the  six  years  of  pastoral  labor  which  was 
stipulated,  was  1100  guilders  ($440),  22i  bush- 
els of  wheat,  and  2  firkins  of  butter  per  an- 
num for  the  first  three  years,  and  if  his  labors 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  B. 
2 


10 

were  satisfactory  to  the  patroon,  he  was  to  re- 
ceive an  additional  amount  of  200  guilders  ($80), 
per  annum  for  the  succeeding  three  years.  In 
addition  to  this  he  was  to  receive  $120,  by  way 
of  outfit,  and  a  free  passage  and  board  for  him- 
self and  family  to  his  new  field  of  labor.  A 
house  was  also  to  be  provided  for  him  on  his 
arrival  at  Rensselaerswyck.  It  was  also  stipu- 
lated that  in  case  he  was  captured  by  the 
Dunkirkers  on  the  passage,  measures  were  to  be 
taken  immediately  for  his  ransom,  and  a  certain 
sum  allowed  monthly  for  his  support.  In  case 
of  his  death  before  the  expiration  of  the  six 
years,  provision  was  to  be  made  for  the  support 
of  his  family  till  the  end  of  that  term.  These 
provisions  may  be  called  just  and  liberal,  and 
they  show  conclusively  that  the  then  head  of 
the  colony  duly  estimated  the  value  of  the  in- 
stitutions of  religion,  and  the  services  of  a  pious 
and  learned  ministry. 

Having  accepted  this  call,  Domine  Megapo- 
lensis  embarked  for  this  country  with  his  wife 
and  four  children,  of  whom  the  oldest  was  four- 
teen and  the  youngest  eight  years  of  age,  and 
arrived  on  the  11th  of  August  1642.  He  was 
then  in  the  thirty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  and 
consequently  was  just  in  his  prime.     His  cha- 


11 

racter  while  a  minister  in  Holland  was  that  of 
"  a  good,  honest,  and  pure  preacher."  In  the 
call  from  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  he  is  styled 
"  a  faithful  servant  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord." 
He  must  have  been  a  man  of  zeal  and  devotion 
of  more  than  ordinary  character,  to  have  been 
willing  to  leave  a  sphere  of  usefulness  and 
honor  in  his  native  land,  for  the  perils  of  the 
sea  and  the  toils  and  privations  incident  to  a 
new  and  savage  country.  No  attractive  pros- 
pect of  ease  or  honor  awaited  him,  on  the 
banks  of  the  far  distant  Hudson.  A  small 
colony  in  an  unknown  land,  in  the  midst  of 
savages,  and  subject  to  all  the  perils  and  dis- 
comforts of  pioneer  life,  was  to  be  his  field  of 
labor.  Yet  we  find  him  ready  at  the  call  of 
his  classis  to  break  the  ties  which  bound  him 
to  his  native  land ;  to  part  from  two  churches 
with  whom  he  was  happily  connected,  and 
with  a  spirit  worthy  of  a  true  Hollander,  to 
come,  the  apostle  of  a  pure  Christianity,  to 
these  western  shores. 

Domine  Megapolensis  remained  during  the 
six  years  of  his  agreement,  faithfully  discharg- 
ing the  duties  of  his  office.  He  not  only  labored 
among  the  colonists,  but  took  a  great  inte- 
rest in  preaching  to  the  Indians.     Numbers  of 


12 

these  resorted  to  Fort  Orange  for  the  purposes 
of  trade,  and  the  domine  learned  their  lan- 
guage, and  preached  the  Gospel  to  them,  seve- 
ral years  before  the  celebrated  Eliot  began  his 
labors  among  the  Indians  in  New  England. 
He  was  the  author  of  a  treatise  on  the  Mo- 
hawks, which  was  afterwards  published  in 
Holland.  His  efforts  among  them  Avere  crown- 
ed with  much  success.  At  a  later  date  the 
names  of  many  baptized  Indians  are  found  in 
the  early  records  of  the  Church,  the  fruits  of 
the  labors  begun  by  the  worthy  domine  who 
was  its  first  pastor,  and  the  first  missionary  to 
the  red  men  of  the  forest.^ 

His  term  of  service  having  expired,  Dr.  Mega- 
polensis  left  the  colony  to  return  to  the  father- 
land. On  his  arrival  at  New  Amsterdam  (now 
New  York)  he  was  prevailed  on  by  Gov.  Stuy- 
vesant  to  remain  there  in  place  of  Domine 
Backerus,  who  had  returned  to  Holland.  The 
representations  of  the  governor,  of  the  spiritual 
destitution  prevailing  in  New  Amsterdam  had 
such  weight  with  the  domine,  that  he  con- 
sented to  remain,  and  labored  more  than  twenty 
years  as  senior  pastor,  being  assisted  from  1664 
to  1668  by  his  son  Samuel,  who  was  educated 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  C. 


13 

both  in  divinity  and  medicine,  and  who  re- 
turned to  Holland  a  short  time  before  his 
father's  death,  which  occured  in  1670,  in  the 
sixty-seventh  year  of  his  age. 

The  first  house  of  worship  in  Albany,  was 
built  on  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Megapolensis.  It 
stood  near  the  fort,  in  what  is  now  called 
Church  street.  It  was  a  plain  wooden  building, 
thirty-four  feet  long  by  nineteen  wide,  furnished 
with  a  pulpit  ornamented  with  a  canopy,  pews 
for  the  magistrates  and  church  officers,  and 
nine  benches  for  the  people.  In  this  simple 
structure  the  congregation  worshiped  thirteen 
years. 

The  second  minister  of  the  Church  at  Albany 
was  the  Rev.  Gideon  Schaats.  He  was  born  in 
1607,  and  was  at  first  a  schoolmaster  in  Hol- 
land. Having  received  ordination,  he  was  sent 
to  this  country  in  1652,  in  company  with  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Drisius,  a  man  of  great  learning, 
who  was  able  to  preach  in  Dutch,  English  and 
French,  and  who  became  a  colleague  of  Dr, 
Megapolensis  at  New  Amsterdam.  Dominie 
Schaats  was  forty-five  years  of  age  when  he 
arrived  in  this  country,  and  he  labored  here  for 
more  than  thirty  years.  He  died  in  a  good  old 
age  leaving  three  children,  the  eldest  of  whom, 


14 

a  son,  was  killed  at  the  great  massacre  in 
Schenectady,  Feb.  10,  1690.  His  remaining 
children,  a  son  and  married  daughter,  are  sup- 
posed to  have  outlived  their  father  many  years. 
The  house  in  which  Domine  Schaats  resided, 
stood  on  the  north-east  corner  of  North  Pearl 
and  State  streets.  It  is  said  to  have  been  im- 
ported from  Holland,  bricks,  wood-work,  tiles, 
and  ornamental  irons  with  which  it  was  pro- 
fusely adorned,  expressly  for  his  use,  in  the 
same  vessel  which  brought  over  the  pulpit  and 
the  bell,  for  the  new  Church.  It  stood  from 
1657  to  1832,  and  was  for  some  time  the  resi- 
dence of  Balthazar  Lydius,  a  grandson  of 
Domine  Lydius,  who  died  in  1815,  aged  78 
years. 

Four  years  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Schaats 
the  congregation  erected  their  second  house  of 
worship.  It  was  built  at  the  intersection  of 
what  is  now  State  street  with  Broadway.  It 
is  supposed  by  some  that  this  building  was  of 
stone,  but  we  find  that  in  1714  a  petition  was 
addressed  to  Governor  Hunter,  then  governor 
in  chief  of  the  province  of  New  York,  which 
purports  to  be  "The  humble  petition  of  Petrus 
Van  Driesen,  Minister  of  the  Nether  Dutch  Ke- 
formed  Congregation  of  the  city  and  county  of 


15 

Albany,  and  the  Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  said 
Congregation,"  which  states  in  substance  that 
the  Church  which  was  built  in  1656,  "being 
built  of  timber  and  boards,  is  by  time  so  much 
decayed  that  they  find  themselves  under  neces- 
sity of  building  a  new  one  in  its  place,"  and 
concludes  by  praying  his  excellency  "  to  ap- 
prove and  encourage  this  pious  work."^ 

It  would  appear  from  this  that  the  building 
was  of  wood.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  by 
Rutger  Jacobsen,  one  of  the  magistrates  of  the 
city,  and  the  ancestor  of  the  venerable  lady, 
now  a  member  of  this  Church,  who  has  become 
distinguished  by  her  munificent  patronage  of 
astronomical  science.f  As  this  was  an  edifice 
intended  to  last  for  many  years,  the  congrega- 
tion determined  that  the  pulpit  should  come 
from  the  same  noble  land,  from  which  its  oc- 
cupants were  imported.  So  they  sent  to  Hol- 
land for  an  oaken  pulpit  and  a  bell,  both  of 
which  in  due  season  arrived,  and  were  erected 
in  their  appropriate  places.  The  old  pulpit, 
after  having  been  occupied  for  a  period  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  by  a  succession  of  able 
and  faithful  pastors,   is  still  preserved  in  this 

*  Sec  Appendix,  Note  D.         f  ^[rs.  Blandina  Dudley. 


16 

edifice,  a  fine  specimen  of  architectural  propor- 
tions and  workmanship,  and  an  interesting  and 
valuable  memorial  of  the  past. 

In  1675  we  find  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Niewen- 
huysen  (or  Niewenhuyt)  was  a  colleague  with 
Mr.  Schaats,  but  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn 
any  particulars  of  his  history.  During  his 
ministry  Rev.  Nicholas  Van  Eenssalaer  (or 
Ranslaer)  arrived  in  Albany,  and  set  up  a  claim 
to  the  pulpit,  and  also  to  the  manor:  neither 
of  which  claims  were  successful.  He  was  not 
approved  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and  was 
moreover  strongly  suspected  of  being  a  papist 
in  disguise.  He  however  had  the  governor  on 
his  side.  Sir  Edmund  Andross,  to  whom  he  had 
been  recommended  by  the  Duke  of  York,  and 
who  endeavored  to  obtain  for  him  a  living  in 
the  Church.  Mr.  Niewenhuysen  stoutly  resisted 
this  attempt,  and  suffered  much  oppressive 
treatment  in  consequence,  at  the  governor's 
hands.  The  people  however  sympathized  with 
him  and  refused  to  acknowledge  Mr.  Van 
Renssalaer  as  a  minister,  or  admit  his  claims 
to  any  consideration  from  his  clerical  cha- 
racter. 

In  16S3   the   Rev.  Godfreidus   Dellius,  was 


uvernor  on 
'  :Ti  he  had 


PULPIT  OF  THE  OLD  CHURCH, 

Built  in  Holland,  1656. 


17 

sent  out  as  assistant  to  Domine  Schaats,  who 
was  now  upwards  of  seventy-five  years  of  age. 
There  are  no  church  records  prior  to  this  date 
extant  in  any  connected  form,  but  in  this  year 
the  Register  of  Baptism  begins,  which  has  con- 
tinued to  be  kept  with  much  accuracy  down  to 
the  present  day.  Mr.  Dellius  found  the  Church 
large  and  flourishing.  It  contained  among  its 
catechumens  and  its  communicants  some  of 
the  Indians  in  the  vicinity,  and  large  additions 
were  made  during  the  sixteen  years  of  his 
ministr5^  It  is  said  that  the  baptisms  during 
this  period  reached  the  astonishing  number  of 
eleven  hundred.  The  list  of  members  in  1683, 
in  the  hand  writing  of  Mr.  Dellius,  amounts  to 
between  six  and  seven  hundred.  It  is  interest- 
ing in  looking  over  this  list  to  notice  how 
many  of  the  names  still  are  found  among  the 
present  members,  having  come  down  in  un- 
broken succession  from  the  godly  men  and 
women  of  two  hundred  years  ago.^ 

At  a  meeting  of  the  magistrates  of  the  town, 
holden  August  13th,  1683,  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  adopted  : 

**  Resolved,  That  a  letter  be  written  to  the 

Venerable,  Pious,  and  very  Learned  the  Minis- 

*  See  xVppeiidix,  Note  E. 
3 


18 

ters  and  members  of  the  very  Rev.  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam,  assembled  at  Amsterdam,  sin- 
cerely thanking  their  Rev.  for  their  Fatherly 
care,  in  sending  over  the  Rev.  Pious  and 
Learned  Dom.  Goddefridus  Dellius,  with  whom 
the  congregation  is  highly  pleased. 

"  Resolved,  Also  to  write  to  Sieur  Richard  Van 
Renssalaer  and  Sieur  Abel  D'WolliF  to  thank 
them  heartily  for  the  trouble  they  have  taken, 
in  finding  out  the  Rev.  Pious  and  Learned 
Dom.  Goddefridus  Dellius,  who  arrived  here  on 
the  2d  inst.  to  the  great  joy  of  every  one,  and 
whose  preaching  was  heard  with  the  greatest 
satisfaction  and  contentment." 

Mr.  Dellius  remained  with  the  Church  for  a 
period  of  sixteen  years,  and  sailed  for  Holland 
in  1699. 

In  1699,  Dominie  Johannes  Petrus  IN'ucella, 
began  his  labors,  which  continued  only  three 
or  four  years.  The  date  of  the  first  baptisms 
administered  by  him  is  Sept.  3d,  1699.  During 
his  ministry  the  rite  of  baptism  was  administer- 
ed as  far  down  The  river  as  Kinderhook,  as  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  had  been  ad- 
ministered by  his  predecessor  at  Schenectady 
four  times  a  year.     Very  little  is  known  of  the 


19 

peculiar  character  of  Mr.  Niicella,  or  of  the 
results  of  his  ministry  in  Albany.  His  connec- 
tion with  the  congregation  seems  to  have  termi- 
nated in  1702. 

The  next  minister  was  the  Rev.  Johannes 
Lydius,  who  commenced  his  labors  in  1703. 
Like  his  predecessors,  Domine  Lydius  seems 
to  have  interested  himself  much  in  the  instruc- 
tion and  conversion  of  the  Indians.  There  is 
mention  made  of  his  having  labored  among  the 
tribes  of  the  Five  Nations,  and  of  his  receiving 
from  the  governor  and  council  pecuniary  com- 
pensation for  such  labors.  He  died  on  the  1st 
day  of  March,  1710.  In  a  letter  written  by  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Barclay,  an  Episcopal  minister 
at  Albany  in  that  year,  to  the  secretary  of  "  the 
Society  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
foreign  parts,"  he  mentions  Domine  Lydius 
in  terms  of  high  commendation,  speaking  of 
him  as  an  intimate  friend,  and  fellow  laborer, 
and  mentioning  that  by  his  death  the  Dutch 
Church  and  about  thirty  Indian  communicants 
have  been  left  without  a  pastor.  Domine 
Lydius  left  a  son,  John  Henry  Lydius,  a  promi- 
nent Indian  trader  in  the  colony  of  New  York, 
who  retired  to  England  in  1776,  and   died  at 


20 

Kensington  near  London  in  1791,  in  the  ninety- 
eighth  year  of  his  age.^ 

After  the  death  of  Domine  Lydius,  the 
Church  continued  without  a  pastor  for  about 
two  years.  During  this  time,  however,  they 
were  not  entirely  destitute  of  the  preaching  of 
the  w^ord,  or  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments. The  Eev.  Gualterus  Du  Bois,  who  was 
a  minister  in  the  Church  in  New  York  for  fifty- 
one  years,  and  who  is  described  as  a  man  of 
high  character,  and  greatly  beloved  by  his  peo- 
ple, visited  Albany  in  1710,  and  preached  and 
administered  the  sacraments.  Also  the  Rev. 
Petrus  Vas,  who  died  at  Kingston,  performed 
ministerial  labors  here  in  1731.  The  names  of 
both  these  ministers  are  found  on  the  Register 
of  Baptisms  of  the  above  dates. 

In  1712  the  Rev.  Petrus  Van  Driessen  was 
called  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  congrega- 
tion. During  his  ministry  a  new  edifice  was 
built  for  the  use  of  the  Church,  which  is  well 
remembered  by  some  of  the  older  members  of 
this  congregation.  It  was  built  of  stone  with 
a  steep,  pyramidal  roof,  and  belfry  surmounted 
with  a  weathercock,  and  was  for  its  day  quite 

*  Doc.  His.  of  New  York,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  893. 


OLD  DUTCH  CHURCPI  OX  STATE  STREET 


21 

an  imposing  edifice.  It  was  built  around  the 
old  Church,  which  was  taken  down  and  carried 
out  piecemeal  after  the  walls  of  the  new  build- 
ing were  raised  and  covered.  It  is  said  that 
the  services  of  public  worship  were  interrupted 
only  three  sabbaths  by  reason  of  this  removal. 
The  new  Church  was  of  massive  architecture, 
and  solid  workmanship.  Each  of  its  windows 
contained  the  coat  of  arms  of  some  one  of  the 
families  of  the  congregation,  in  stained  glass. 
Several  of  these  are  still  preserved,  and  one  espe- 
cially may  be  seen  in  excellent  preservation  at 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Dudley.  The  seats  around 
the  walls  were  occupied  by  the  respectable  old 
burghers,  the  heads  of  families,  among  whom 
were  some  whose  names  have  been  distinguish- 
ed in  the  history  of  the  state.  On  the  west 
side,  were  the  seats  occupied  by  the  governor 
and  the  magistrates  of  the  city.  On  the  right 
and  left  of  the  pulpit,  were  the  members  of  the 
consistory ;  conspicuous  among  them  was  the 
voorlezfT  or  clerk,  a  very  important  functionary, 
who  opened  the  services  of  the  sabbath  by  the 
reading  of  a  few  texts  of  Scripture,  the  ten 
commandments,  another  chapter  of  the  Bible, 
and  the  singing  of  a  Psalm,  the  number  of 
which  was  displayed  on  a  tablet  hung  at  the 


22 

side  of  the  pulpit,  in  sight  of  the  congregation. 
The  seats  in  the  body  of  the  house  were  oc- 
cupied by  the  females,  and  the  large  galleries, 
which  extended  on  three  sides  of  the  edifice, 
were  appropriated  to  the  younger  male  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation.  It  was  the  custom 
in  those  days  for  the  minister  to  enter  during 
the  singing,  and  before  ascending  to  the  pulpit 
to  stand  a  moment  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  in 
silent  prayer,  a  custom  which  was  certainly 
highly  appropriate.  In  front  of  the  desk  of  the 
pulpit  was  placed  the  hour  glass,  and  our  fathers 
would  hardly  have  thought  that  the  domine 
gave  them  good  measure  if  he  closed  his  dis- 
course till  the  last  sands  had  fallen.  It  is  not 
often  in  these  days  that  our  hearers  complain 
of  the  brevity  of  our  discourses. 

For  ninety-one  years  the  old  stone  Church 
stood  as  the  centre  of  devotion,  and  place  of 
worship  for  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Albany. 
There  your  pious  parents  loved  to  go  to  worship 
God  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity.  There 
they  listened  with  reverent  attention  to  the 
preaching  of  the  Word.  There  they  sat  down 
at  the  sacramental  table,  and  commemorated 
the  love  of  their  blessed  Saviour.  There  they 
carried  their  children  to  receive  the  rite  of  bap- 


23 

tism  in  the  name  of  the  adorable  Trinity. 
From  that  temple  they  were  called  to  the  purer 
and  nobler  worship  of  heaven.  Fifty-one  years 
have  rolled  away  since  that  old  building  was 
taken  down.  There  are  but  few  left  who  were 
familiar  with  the  venerable  and  time  honored 
structure.  It  is  fast  becoming  only  a  thing  of 
tradition.  Very  soon  the  last  of  the  smiling 
babes,  who  received  baptism  at  its  font,  will  be 
borne  a  gray  haired  man,  to  the  silent  grave.  But 
the  results  of  what  transpired  within  its  walls 
for  nearly  a  century,  will  last  as  long  as  the 
eternal  throne  of  God  endures. 

During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Van  Driessen,  a 
petition  was  presented  to  the  Hon.  Peter  Schuy- 
ler, president,  and  the  rest  of  his  majesty's 
council  of  the  province  of  New  York,  for  an  act 
of  incorporation.  The  petition  is  dated  3d  day 
of  August,  1720,  and  is  signed  by  Petrus  Van 
Driessen,  minister;  Johannes  Cuyler,  Johannes 
Roseboom,  Hendrik  Van  Rensselaer  and  Wil- 
liam Jacobse  Van  Deusen,  elders ;  and  Eut- 
gert  Bleecker,  Volkert  Van  Veghten,  Myndert 
Roseboom  and  Dirk  Ten  Broek,  deacons  of  the 
Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Congregation  in  the 
city  of  Albany.^ 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  F. 


24 

The  petition  was  successful,  and  an  act  of 
incorporation  was  granted  to  the  Church  under 
the  title  of  the  "  Minister,  Elders  and  Deacons 
of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in 
the  city  of  Albany,"  bearing  date  August  10th, 
1720. 

Mr.  Van  Driessen  continued  in  the  pastoral 
charge  of  the  congregation  till  his  death,  which 
occurred  about  February  1st,  1738,  having 
labored  with  zeal  and  fidelity  for  a  period  of 
twenty-six  years.  The  Church  at  Kinderhook 
was  organized  by  him  in  1712,  and  the  Church 
at  Claverack  in  1716. 

In  1733,  five  years  prior  to  the  death  of  Do- 
mine  Van  Driessen,  the  Rev.  Cornelius  Van 
Schie  was  settled  as  his  colleague.  Mr.  Van 
Schie  had  previously  labored  in  Poughkeepsie 
and  Fishkill.  He  survived  his  colleague  but 
six  years,  and  died  August  15th,  1744,  aged  41 
years.  His  last  sermon  was  from  Rev.  ii,  10: 
"Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  1  will  give 
thee  a  crown  of  life." 

The  next  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Theodorus 
Frelinghuysen.  He  entered  upon  his  labors 
about  1745.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Jaco- 
bus Theodorus  Frelinghuysen,  a  native  of  West 
Friesland,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1720, 


>/////v/  //•/////  f//r  lirh/ifui/  HI possi-ssinr/  «/'////-  Wi-r/,7M   Ffi7////y 


25 

and  settled  in  New  Jersey  about  three  miles 
west  of  New  Brunswick.  He  was  a  man  of 
sound  evangelical  views,  and  a  bold  and  earnest 
preacher.  He  had  five  sons,  all  of  whom  be- 
came ministers ;  and  two  daughters,  both  of 
whom  became  the  wives  of  ministers.  His 
second  son,  Johannes,  succeeded  his  father  at 
Raritan,  in  1750,  but  died  in  1754,  in  the  28th 
year  of  his  age.  He  was  the  grandfather  of 
the  Hon.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  president  of 
Rutgers  College.  His  oldest  son,  Theodorus, 
was  the  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Albany. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  excellence.  His  temper  was  ardent 
and  his  manners  frank  and  popular.  In  the 
pulpit  his  preaching  was  earnest  and  eloquent, 
while  his  pure  and  sjfotless  life,  when  out  of  it, 
illustrated  and  enforced  his  teachings.  For  fif- 
teen years  he  labored  beloved  and  respected  by 
all,  and  probably  no  pastor  was  ever  more 
deeply  seated  in  the  confidence  and  affections 
of  his  flock. 

About  this  time,  a  regiment  of  royal  troops 
was  stationed  in  Albany,  whose  gay  and  youth- 
ful officers  introduced  quite  a  new  order  of 
things  into  the  staid  and  quiet  circles  of  the 
city.     Parties,  balls,  and   theatrical  entertain- 


26 

ments  kept  the  families  of  the  honest  burghers 
ill  a  continual  state  of  flutter  and  excitement. 
The  good  domine  in  all  sincerity,  but  perhaps 
in  not  the  most  judicious  manner,  took  the  field 
against  these  seductive  innovations.  He  ad- 
monished, he  preached,  he  prophesied,  he  even 
denounced,  but  with  all  his  authority  and  elo- 
quence and  goodness  combined,  he  could  not 
exorcise  from  the  community  the  rampant 
spirit  of  gaiety  and  fashion.  There  is  a  tradi- 
tion that  after  having  preached  an  unusually 
earnest  sermon  against  the  follies  and  fashions 
of  the  day,  the  good  domine  found  at  his  door 
on  the  follov^^ing  Monday  morning,  a  pair  of 
shoes,  a  staff,  a  silver  dollar  and  a  loaf  of  bread. 
He  conceived  that  this  was  an  intimation  that 
he  was  desired  to  depar't,  and  determined  at 
once  to  leave.  However  this  may  be,  it  is 
quite  probable,  that  supposing  that  his  influence 
was  decidedly  weakened,  and  being  a  man  of 
peculiar  sensitiveness,  he  withdrew  from  his 
charge,  and  with  a  grieved  and  humbled  spirit 
took  passage  for  Holland,  in  1760,  to  visit  his 
native  land,  and  return  again  to  the  scene  of 
his  labors.  He  however  never  returned,  and  is 
said  to  have  been  lost  overboard  on  the  passage. 
A   mystery  hangs  over  his  real  fate,    but  the 


I 


27 

good  people  of  Albany  long  mourned  his  de- 
parture and  cherished  his  memory  with  the 
deepest  affection. 

Domine  Frelinghuysen  was  succeeded  in 
the  pastoral  office  by  the  Rev.  Eilardus  Wes- 
terlo,  a  name  connected  with  many  interesting 
and  tender  associations  in  the  history  of  this 
Church.  He  was  born  in  the  city  of  Gro- 
ningen,  in  October,  1738.  His  father,  Isaac 
Westerlo,  was  pastor  of  the  Church  at  that 
place.  He  was  named  after  his  maternal 
grandfather,  Eilardus  Reiners,  who  was  also  a 
clergyman  and  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Dalen, 
a  village  in  the  province  of  Drenthe.  He  was 
designed  by  his  parents  from  his  early  youth  for 
the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  and  having  spent  six 
years  in  the  Latin  school  at  Oldenzaal,  he  was 
admitted  in  his  16th  year  to  the  University  at 
Groningen,  where  he  remained  also  six  years, 
and  prepared  himself  for  examination  and  ad- 
mission to  the  holy  office  of  the  ministry. 

It  was  just  at  this  time,  when  he  was  but 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  that  a  call  from  this 
Church  was  most  unexpectedly  placed  in  his 
hands.  After  due  deliberation,  and  with  the 
earnest  advice  of  his  instructors  at  the  uni- 


28 

versity,  he  decided  to  accept  it.  He  was  ac- 
cordingly examined  and  approved,  and  in 
March,  1760,  was  installed  in  Holland  as  min- 
ister of  this  Church.  He  arrived  here  and 
entered  upon  his  duties  in  the  autumn  of  that 
year,  and  soon  had  reason  to  believe,  that  in 
removing  to  this  city  he  had  chosen  the  path  of 
duty. 

Dr.  Westerlo  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary religious  feeling.  About  eight  years  after 
the  commencement  of  his  labors,  he  fell  into 
a  state  of  great  despondency  and  fear  as  to  his 
personal  hopes.  After  a  time  of  severe  self-ex- 
amination and  earnest  prayer,  he  obtained  re- 
newed hope  and  peace.  He  always  considered 
himself  to  have  undergone  a  great  change  at 
this  time,  and  frequently  spoke  of  it  as  a  most 
interesting  and  eventful  period  of  his  life.  He 
was  on  very  intimate  and  friendly  terms  with 
several  distinguished  ministers  and  private 
Christians,  and  derived  much  edification  and 
enjoyment  from  correspondence  and  fellowship 
with  them.  Among  these  were  the  Hev.  Drs. 
Livingston,  Laidlie,  Rodgers  and  Mason,  of 
New  York ;  and  Dr.  Meyer,  pastor  of  the 
Church  at  Esopus,  and  afterward  of  New  Jer- 


29 

sey;  also  Mrs.  Livingston,  mother  of  the  late 
Chancellor  Livingston,  and  other  pious  indi- 
viduals in  humhler  life. 

In  1775  he  was  married  to  the  widow  of 
Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  then  Patroon  of  the 
Manor  of  Renssalaerswyck.  She  had  three 
sons,  Stephen,  whose  memory  is  still  precious 
in  this  Church  and  city  ;  Philip,  who  was  for 
seventeen  years  mayor  of  Albany ;  and  Eliza- 
beth, who  married  for  her  first  husband,  John, 
a  son  of  Gen.  Philip  Schuyler,  and  afterwards 
the  late  John  Bleecker.  From  the  time  of  his 
marriage  till  1784,  he  resided  at  the  Manor 
House.  At  that  time  he  removed  to  the  par- 
sonage which  stood  in  Broadway,  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  the  building  known  as 
Bleecker  Hall. 

Dr.  Westerlo  was  decidedly  in  favor  of  dis- 
solving the  ecclesiastical  connection  which  at 
that  time  bound  the  Dutch  Church  in  this 
country  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  ecclesiastical 
courts  in  Holland,  and  of  an  independent 
organization,  by  which  the  training,  ordination 
and  installation  of  ministers,  and  other  church 
business  could  be  transacted  here,  by  our  own 
ecclesiastical  courts.  In  the  discussion  of  this 
question,    which   agitated  the    whole    Church 


30 

deeply,  and  which  was  debated  with  earnest- 
ness if  not  with  acrimony  for  several  years,  he 
took  a  prominent  part.  The  separation  was 
finally  made  in  1772.^ 

Dr.  Westerlo  was  also  a  warm  patriot. 
During  the  Revolution,  he  took  strong  ground 
on  the  side  of  independence,  and  at  that  cri- 
tical period  just  prior  to  the  surrender  of  Bur- 
goyne,  he  held  special  religious  services  in  the 
Church  daily  for  a  week,  imploring  the  inter- 
position of  God  in  behalf  of  our  army,  and  ani- 
mating and  encouraging  the  people  by  his 
prayers  and  exhortations.  He  was  assisted  in 
these  services  by  his  distinguished  friend.  Dr. 
John  H.  Livingston,  who  was  also  his  brother- 
in-law,!  and  who  spent  much  time  in  Albany 
and  its  vicinity  during  the  progress  of  the  war. 

Up  to  this  time  all  the  religious  services  in 
the  Church  were  in  the  Dutch  language.  The 
importance  of  introducing  the  English,  was 
however  more  and  more  felt,  and  in  1780,  Dr. 
Livingston  was  called  as  colleague  to  preach  in 
that  language,  but  declined  the  invitation.  In 
1782,  Dr.  Westerlo  began  to  preach  half  the 
day  in  English. 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  F. 
t  They  married  sisters. 


31 

In  this  year  General  Washington  visited* 
Albany  and  had  a  public  reception.  An  address 
on  that  occasion  was  delivered  by  Dr.  Westerlo 
as  the  minister  of  the  Church,  and  president  of 
the  consistory.  The  last  sermon  which  Dr. 
Westerlo  preached  was  from  the  65th  Psalm, 
4th  verse  :  "Blessed  is  the  man,  whom  thou 
choosest,  and  causest  to  approach  unto  thee, 
that  he  may  dwell  in  thy  courts :  we  shall  be* 
satisfied  with  the  goodness  of  thy  house,  even 
of  thy  holy  temple." 

He  died  on  the  26th  December,  1790,  in  the 
53d  year  of  his  age.  The  event  was  somewhat 
sudden,  though  his  health  for  some  time  had 
not  been  good.  It  excited  the  deepest  feeling 
throughout  the  congregation.  A  letter  written 
by  Dr.  Livingston  to  Dr.  Meyer  soon  after,  says : 
"  His  disease  at  first  affected  his  mind,  and 
rendered  him  very  melancholy,  but  it  pleased 
the  Lord  to  remove  all  his  fears  and  distresses; 
his  mind  became  serene,  and  he  was  cheerful, 
established,  and  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  till  his 
last  moments.  His  house  was  filled  with  his 
people,  who  came  from  all  parts  of  the  city  to 
see  him,  and  he  left  them  with  his  blessing  in 
such  a  solemn  manner,  that  it  is  thought  he 
did  as  much  good  in  his  death  as  in  his  life. 


32 

Blessed  are  the  dead,  who  die  in  the  Lord !  O 
that  we  may  die  the  death  of  the  righteous, 
and  our  last  end  be  like  his." 

Dr.  Westerlo  left  two  children,  a  son  Rens- 
salaer,  who  was  at  one  time  a  member  of 
congress,  and  a  daughter  Catherine,  who  mar- 
ried the  Hon.  John  Woodworth,  who  still 
survives  her. 

He  was  a  man  of  solid  learning,  especially 
in  the  classics,  of  imposing  presence,  and 
gentle  and  dignified  manners.  Few  ministers 
have  maintained  a  higher  standing  in  the 
Church,  or  a  deeper  place  in  the  affections  of 
the  people.  The  late  Harmanus  Bleecker,  in  a 
sketch  for  Rev.  Dr.  Sprague's  work,  which  I 
have  been  kindly  permitted  to  see,  and  from 
which  much  of  the  foregoing  account  of  Dr. 
Westerlo  has  been  derived,  says  in  closing 
the  sketch  :  "  Indeed  so  omnipresent  was  his 
religion,  so  engrossing  his  piety,  that  his  ha- 
bitual state  of  mind  seemed  to  be  one  continued 
prayer,  and  his  life  an  unbroken  offering  of 
praise." 

In  1787,  the  Rev.  John  Bassett  was  settled  as 
colleague  pastor  with  Dr.  Westerlo.  He  was 
born  in  Bushwick,  L.  I.,  October  1,  1764,  and 
educated   in   Columbia   College,   N.    Y.      His 


33 

theological  studies  were  pursued  under  Dr. 
Livingston,  and  he  was  ordained  and  installed 
here,  November  25,  1787.  In  December,  1804, 
he  retired  from  his  pastoral  charge  to  the  Boght, 
and  afterwards  to  his  native  place  on  Long 
Island,  where  he  died,  September  4,  1824,  in 
the  60th  year  of  his  age.  He  left  ^ve  children, 
four  of  whom  still  survive.  Upon  his  retirement 
from  this  Church,  the  consistory  voted  to  pay 
him  an  annuity  of  $562-50  for  the  term  of  his 
natural  life. 

Mr.  Bassett  was  a  man  of  extraordinary  eru- 
dition. He  was  an  excellent  Hebrew  scholar, 
and  excelled  in  classical  learning.  He  always 
had  several  young  men  in  his  family,  and  under 
his  instruction.  He  was  a  sound  and  edifying 
preacher,  though  not  gifted  with  great  vividness 
of  imagination  or  eloquence.  He  had  many 
warm  friends  in  the  congregation,  who  deeply 
regretted  his  departure. 

The  congregation  at  this  time,  as  might  be 
supposed,  had  grown  to  be  very  large  and  power- 
ful. The  population  of  the  city  was  about  5,000. 
The  Church  having  been  in  existence  for  nearly 
150  years,  the  members  of  the  congregation 
could  not  be   accommodated  in  the   old  stone 

building,  and  it  was   decided  to  build  a  new 
5 


34 

one.  The  corner  stone  of  this  edifice  was  laid 
June  12,  1797.  It  was  solemnly  dedicated  to 
the  worship  of  Almighty  God,  January  27, 1799. 
The  dedicatory  discourses,  on  the  occasion, 
were  preached  by  the  two  pastors ;  Rev.  Mr. 
Bassett,  in  the  morning,  from  the  84th  Psalm, 
1st  and  2d  verses ;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson,  in 
the  afternoon,  from  the  4th  verse  of  the  same 
Psalm.  At  that  time  this  street  presented  a 
very  different  aspect  from  that  which  it  wears 
at  present.  From  State  street,  the  unpaved 
and  grassy  road  was  lined  with  the  ancient 
Dutch  dwellings,  with  their  gable  ends  and 
weathercocks,  very  different  from  the  fine 
modern  residences,  which  are  now  the  homes  of 
some  of  our  most  respectable  citizens.  Conspi- 
cuous among  the  old  buildings,  was  the  Vander 
Heyden  palace,  which  stood  about  where  the 
Baptist  Church  now  stands.  It  was  built  in 
1725,  and  taken  down  in  1833,  and  was  one  of 
the  most  imposing  buildings  of  its  day.  But 
this  Church  edifice  was  in  striking  contrast  to 
the  buildings  which  then  surrounded  it.  It 
rose  in  its  massiv^e  and  commanding  proportions, 
the  finest  specimen  of  ecclesiastical  architect- 
ure then  in  the  city,  and  still  the  largest  protest- 
ant  house  of  worship,  and  showing,  after  sixty 


35 

years,  how  faithfully  it  was  constructed.  It  will 
now  outlast  many  of  the  more  showy  edifices, 
which  are  at  this  day  rising  through  our  country 
Its  interior  has  been  twice  modified  ;  once  in 
1820,  when  this  pulpit  was  erected,  and  again 
in  1850. 

In  1796,  the  Rev.  John  Barent  Johnson  was 
called  to  become  colleague  pastor  with  Mr. 
Bassett.  He  was  born  at  Brooklyn,  L.  I., 
March  3,  1769.  His  father's  name  was  Barent 
Johnson,  of  Dutch  descent,  a  farmer  in  pros- 
perous circumstances.  His  mother  was  Maria 
Guest,  daughter  of  Capt.  John  Guest,  of  New 
Brunswick,  who  commanded  a  vessel  which 
sailed  from  New  York  to  Antigua.  He  lost  both 
his  parents  before  he  was  nine  years  old,  and 
was  brought  up  by  a  cousin,  who  was  his  father's 
executor.  In  his  17th  year,  while  attending 
school  at  Flatbush,  he  became  acquainted  with 
the  Rev.  Dr.  John  H.  Livingston,  who  was 
spending  the  summer  there.  Dr.  L.  discovering 
that  he  was  a  youth  of  much  more  than  ordi- 
nary talents,  encouraged  him  to  commence  a 
course  of  liberal  studies,  and  kindly  offered  to 
receive  him  into  his  own  family,  and  superin- 
tend his  education.  This  offer  was  gratefully 
accepted,  and  he  was  soon  prepared  to  enter 


36 

college.  In  1788  he  entered  Columbia  College, 
and  in  the  same  year  became  a  communicant 
in  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church.  After  his 
graduation  he  studied  theology  with  Dr.  Liv- 
ingston ;  was  licensed  by  the  classis  of  New 
York,  April  21,  1795,  and  preached  his  first 
sermon  on  the  succeeding  sabbath  in  that  city 
for  the  Rev.  Dr.  Kuypers. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1796,  Mr.  Johnson  was 
ordained  tothe  workof  the  ministry,  and  settled 
as  colleague  pastor  with  Mr.  Bassett  over  this 
Church.  His  ordination  sermon  was  preached 
by  Mr.  Bassett. 

In  J  802,  Mr.  Johnson  was  called  to  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  in  Schenectady,  and  also 
to  that  in  Brooklyn.  He  decided  to  remove  to 
the  latter  place.  He  preached  his  farewell 
sermon  to  this  Church,  on  the  26th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1802,  and  was  installed  in  Brooklyn,  on 
the  24th  of  the  following  October.  Among 
other  marked  features  of  this  sermon,  which 
was  a  very  able,  earnest  and  eloquent  dis- 
course, is  a  fine  tribute  to  the  Heidelberg 
catechism,  and  a  plea  for  its  faithful  and  re- 
gular exposition  in  our  churches.  His  health, 
which  was  much  impaired  before  his  removal 
from  Albany,  now  began  to  fail  rapidly,  and  the 


37 

death  of  his  wife, which  occiired  in  March,  1 803, 
contributed  to  hasten  his  own.  He  died  at  the 
house  of  his  brother-in-law,  Peter  Rosevelt, 
Esq.,  in  Newtown,  August  29,  1803.  He  left 
three  children,  two  of  whom  still  survive,  in 
the  ministry  of  the  Episcopal  Church;  one  at 
Jamaica,  L.  I.,  and  another  a  professor  in  the 
Episcopal  Theological  Seminary  in  j\ew  York. 
From  a  sketch  of  Mr.  Johnson,  from  the  pen 
of  Hon.  Tennis  Van  Vechten,  for  Rev.  Dr. 
Sprague's  work  on  the  American  Pulpit,  we 
learn,  that  he  was  a  man  of  unusually  prepos- 
sessing personal  appearance,  and  easy  and 
graceful  manners.  "  His  countenance  had  an 
expression  of  great  benignity,  united  with  high 
intelligence.  His  manners  were  bland  and  court- 
eous, and  predisposed  every  one  who  saw  him 
to  be  his  friend ;  and  his  countenance  and 
manners  were  a  faithful  index  to  his  disposition. 
He  was  acknowledged,  on  all  hands,  to  possess 
an  uncommonly  amiable  and  generous  spirit. 
He  had  the  reputation  of  an  excellent  pastor. 
He  mingled  freely  and  to  great  acceptance  with 
all  classes  of  people.  He  was  particularly 
attentive  to  the  young,  and  had  the  faculty  of 
making  himself  exceedingly  pleasant  to  them  ; 
this  I  know  from  personal  experience. 


38 

As  a  preacher  he  was  undoubtedly  one  of 
the  most  popular  in  the  Dutch  Church  at  that 
day.  Of  his  manner  in  the  pulpit,  I  retain  a 
very  distinct  recollection.  His  voice  was  a 
melodious  one,  and  though  not  of  remarkable 
compass,  yet  loud  enough  to  be  heard  with 
ease  in  a  large  church.  His  gesture  was  natu- 
ral and  effective,  and  sometimes  he  reached, 
what  I  should  think,  a  high  pitch  of  pulpit 
oratory." 

At  the  death  of  General  Washington  the 
legislature  of  the  state,  then  in  session, 
requested  of  the  consistory  the  use  of  this 
Church  for  the  celebration  of  appropriate  fune- 
ral services,  and  invited  Mr.  Johnson  to  deliver 
the  eulogy  on  that  occasion.  The  service  was 
accordingly  held  Feb.  22d,  1800,  and  as  might 
be  supposed,  was  one  of  unusual  interest  and 
solemnity.  The  Church  was  hung  with  black, 
and  crowded  by  a  mourning  people.  The 
oration  by  Mr.  Johnson  was  a  masterly  effort, 
and  produced  a  great  sensation.  It  was  pub- 
lished by  vote  of  both  houses,  Hon.  Stephen 
Van  Renssalaer,  being  then  president  of  the 
senate,  and  Hon.  Dirck  Ten  Broeck,  speaker 
of  the  house.  Mr.  Van  Vechten  says  of  it : 
**  The  exordium  was  spoken  of  at  the  time,  as 


39 

a  rare  specimen  of  eloquence,  and  the  whole 
performance  was  of  a  very  high  order.  I  speak 
with  confidence  concerning  this,  as  it  was 
published,  and  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of 
reading  it,  since  I  have  been  more  competent 
to  judge  of  its  merits  than  I  was  when  it  was 
delivered." 

Mr.  Van  Vechten  closes  his  sketch  of  Mr. 
Johnson  in  these  words  :  '*He  left  an  excel- 
lent name  behind  him,  and  the  few  who  still 
remember  him,  cherish  gratefully  the  recollec- 
tion of  both  his  gifts,   and  his  graces." 

After  the  removal  of  Mr.  Johnson,  the  Church 
made  two  unsuccessful  attempts  to  secure  a  suc- 
cessor in  the  pastoral  office.  In  Sept.,  1802,  a 
call  was  sent  to  the  Rev.  Henry  Kollock,  of 
Elizabethtown,  and  in  Dec,  1802,  to  the  Rev. 
Philip  Milledoler,  of  Philadelphia,  both  of  which 
were  declined.  In  1803,  Rev.  William  Linn, 
was  engaged  as  temporary  supply,  and  con- 
tinued to  serve  the  Church  for  several  years. 

At  the  removal  of  Mr.  Bassett  in  1804,  the 
Church  was  left  entirely  without  a  pastor. 
In  the  meantime  it  had  grown  to  be  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  influential  congregations  in 
the  state.  In  Feb.,  1805,  a  call  was  sent  to 
Rev.  Edward  D.  Griffin  to  become  the  pastor, 


40 

which  was  declined.  A  meeting  of  the  Great 
Consistory  was  called  afterwards,  to  deliberate 
upon  its  interests  and  to  consider  the  subject 
of  calling  a  pastor.  They  met  on  the  27lh  of 
May,  1805.  Forty-nine  members  were  present. 
The  names  of  all  of  them  are  on  record,  and  it 
is  worthy  of  remark  that  of  these  forty-nine 
names,  there  are  only  six  names  which  may 
not  now  be  found  in  the  congregation,  although 
only  one  of  the  individuals  who  composed  the 
meeting  yet  survives.^  At  this  meeting  it  was 
decided  to  call  the  Rev.  John  Melancthon 
Bradford  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Church.  He 
was  required  to  preach  but  once  on  each  sab- 
bath during  the  first  year  of  his  settlement,  and 
in  case  of  his  marriage  was  to  receive  an 
addition  to  his  salar3\ 

Mr.  Bradford  was  born  in  Danbury,  Conn., 
May  15,  1781.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Bev. 
Ebenezer  Bradford,  then  pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Danbury.  His  collegiate 
education  was  received  at  Brown  University, 
B.  I.,  where  he  gradiiated  with  honor.  He 
then  pursued  his  theological  studies  with  the 
Bev.  Dr.  Green  of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  ministers  of  the  Presbyterian 

*  The  venerable  Jacob  Ten  Eyck,  Esq,  of  Whitehall. 


41 

Church,  who  was  his  maternal  uncle.  He  was 
called  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Church  in 
May,  1805,  and  having  accepted  the  call  was 
ordained  to  the  office  of  the  ministry,  and 
installed  pastor  of  the  Church.  The  ordination 
sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Linn  of 
New  York. 

Dr.  Bradford  continued  in  the  pastoral 
charge  about  fifteen  years.  He  was  a  man  of 
fine  appearance,  and  dignified  manners,  and 
an  eloquent  and  impressive  preacher.  Few 
men  have  been  better  fitted  by  natural  endow- 
ments for  the  position  of  a  public  speaker. 
His  voice  was  uncommonly  melodious,  and  his 
gesticulation  dignified  and  graceful.  His  style 
was  rich  and  yet  chaste,  and  his  sermons  were 
compositions  of  a  high  order.  For  years  he 
commanded  large  audiences,  and  was  ranked 
among  the  distinguished  pulpit  orators  of  the 
day. 

He  died  in  1827,  leaving  a  widow  and  seve- 
ral children  who  yet  survive.  One  of  these, 
Alexander  W.  Bradford,  now  holds  the  office  of 
surrogate  of  New  York,  and  is  a  gentleman  of 
high  standing  in  his  profession. 

As  early  as  1799,  the  project  of  building 
another  new  church,  began   to   receive    some 


42 

attention,  but  it  was  not  finally  decided  upon 
till  1805.  In  that  year  the  site  of  the  old  stone 
Church  in  State  street  was  sold  to  the  corpora- 
tion of  the  city  for  $5,000,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1 806,  the  venerable  building,  which  had  been  oc- 
cupied by  the  congregation  for  nearly  a  century, 
was  taken  down.  For  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  that  spot  had  been  occupied  as  the  site  of 
a  place  of  worship,  and  there  were  many  sacred 
and  touching  associations  connected  with  it.  It 
was  not  strange  that  many  hearts  should  feel 
emotions  of  sadness  when  at  last  it  was  given 
up  to  the  crowd  and  bustle  of  business.  The 
corner  stone  of  the  noble  edifice  now  occupied 
by  the  Second  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  on 
Beaver  street,  was  laid  April  80th,  1806,  by 
Eev.  Dr.  Bradford,  and  the  building  after  several 
delays  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  was 
finally  completed  in  1810.  It  is  one  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  ecclesiastical  architecture 
in  this  city.  Indeed  there  are  few  superior  to 
it,  in  our  country. 

In  1813,  the  Rev.  John  De  Witt  was  called 
as  colleague  pastor  with  Dr.  Bradford.  He 
was  a  native  of  Catskill,  the  son  of  a  farmer, 
who  desired  him  to  enter  the  profession  of  law. 
With  this    object   he    spent   several   years   in 


MIDDLE  DUTCH  CHURCH. 


43 

study,  and  graduated  at  Nassau  Hall,  in  Prince- 
ton, in  1809.  He  then  commenced  the  study 
of  law  in  Kinderhook,  but  his  mind  having  at 
this  time  been  brought  under  deep  religious 
impressions,  he  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to 
devote  himself  to  the  work  of  the  Christian 
ministry.  He  accordingly  commenced  the  study 
of  theology  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Porter  of  Cats- 
kill,  and  was  first  settled  in  the  ministry  in 
Lanesboro,  Mass.,  in  1811.  From  thence  he 
was  called  to  become  collegiate  pastor  with 
Dr.  Bradford.  In  1S15,  it  was  deemed  advisa- 
ble that  the  collegiate  form  of  the  Church 
should  be  abandoned,  and  that  two  distinct  and 
independent  congregations  should  be  formed 
each  with  its  own  church  edifice,  pastor  and 
consistory.  This  was  carried  into  effect  in  an 
amicable  spirit.  An  equitable  division  was 
made  of  the  Church  property,  the  two  pastors 
drew  lots  for  the  church  edifices,  and  the 
congregations  connected  themselves  with  one 
or  the  other,  according  to  their  individual 
choice,  or  convictions  of  duty.  Dr.  De  Witt 
became  the  pastor  of  the  Second  or  South 
Church.  Dr.  Bradford  remained  with  the  old 
Church,  which  was  thereafter  popularly  known 
as  the  North  Dutch  Church. 


44 

Dr.  De  Witt  remained  pastor  of  the  South  or 
Second  Church  till  September,  1823,  when  he 
was  elected  to  the  professorship  of  Biblical 
criticism,  ecclesiastical  history,  and  pastoral 
theology  in  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the 
Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  at  New 
Brunswick.  In  this  honorable  and  useful 
position  he  remained  till  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  11th  of  October,  1831,  in  the  42d 
year  of  his  age. 

Dr.  De  Witt  was  a  man  of  frank,  joyous,  and 
generous  nature,  yet  of  accute  and  tender 
sensibilities.  His  piety  was  deep  and  ardent, 
and  his  preaching  eminently  plain,  evangelical 
and  earnest.  His  manner  in  the  pulpit  was 
unaffectedly  dignified  and  serious,  his  voice 
clear  and  strong,  and  his  enunciation  distinct 
and  deliberate.  No  man  could  listen  to  him 
without  pleasure  and  instruction.  As  a  pastor 
he  enjoyed  in  a  high  degree  the  confidence 
and  affection  of  his  people,  and  his  separation 
from  them  was  an  event  deeply  regretted  by 
them  all. 

In  October,  1824,  Rev.  Isaac  Ferris  was  in- 
stalled as  pastor  of  the  Second  Church,  and 
continued  in  that  office,  greatly  esteemed  and 
beloved  by  his  people  until  the  year  1836,  when 


45 

he  was  transferred  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church,  in  Market  street,  New 
York,  where  he  remained  twelve  years.  He  was 
then  elected  chancellor  of  the  University  of 
New  York,  in  which  honorable  and  useful  posi- 
tion he  now  remains. 

In  Nov.,  1836,  t\m  Rev.  Isaac  N.  Wyckoft^ 
was  installed  pastor  of  the  Second  Church, 
where  he  still  remains,  after  a  pastorate  of 
twenty-one  years,  enjoying  the  confidence  and 
affection  of  his  people.     '^  Serus  redeat  in  ccelum.'' 

During  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Ferris,  and  mainly 
through  his  instrumentality,  the  Third  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church,  in  this  city,  was  organ- 
ized, December  19,  1834.  The  first  pastor  was 
the  Rev.  Edwin  Holmes.  He  was  settled  in 
February,  1835,  and  resigned  his  charge  in 
1840.  The  Rev.  Andrew  Yates,  D.  D.,  supplied 
the  pulpit,  and  labored  very  efficiently  and 
successfully  inbehalf  of  the  Church,  till  Novem- 
ber, 1841. 

In  Nov.,  1841,  Rev.  W.  H.  Campbell,  D.  D., 
was  installed  pastor,  and  continued  his  ac- 
ceptable labors  till  September,  1848,  when  he 
entered  upon  his  duties,  as  the  principal  of  the 
Albany  Academy,  from  which  he  was  trans- 
ferred   to  the  Theological    Seminary  at    New 


46 

Brunswick,  where  he  now  labors  with  distin- 
guished ability  in  the  service  of  the  church  at 
large. 

Rev.  Rutgers  Van  Brunt  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor  after  the  removal  of  Dr.  Camp- 
bell, but  was  soon  obliged,  by  the  failure  of  his 
health,  to  resign  his  charge.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  W.  W.  Holloway,  who  remained  until 
1853,  and  then  entered  upon  another  field  of 
labor. 

The  present  pastor.  Rev.  Alexander  Dickson, 
was  installed  in  October,  1853,  and  still  con- 
tinues, the  able  and  devoted  minister  of  an 
affectionate  people. 

The  retirement  of  Dr.  Bradford,  from  the 
charge  of  this  Church,  left  them  again  without 
a  pastor.  The  pulpit  was  supplied  for  about 
three  years  by  different  ministers,  among  whom 
were    Revds.    Gabriel    Ludlow,    Eli   Baldwin, 

John   Kennedy,  Bruen,   R.   McLeod    and 

M.  W.  Dwight. 

On  the  31st  day  of  August,  1822,  a  call  was 
given  to  the  Rev.  John  Ludlow,  then  professor 
of  Biblical  literature  and  ecclesiastical  history 
*at  New  Brunswick,  which  was  accepted ;  and 
in  July,  1823,  Dr.  Ludlow  entered  upon  his 
duties  as  pastor  of  this  Church.     His  installa- 


47 

tion  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Yates,  and  was  published  at  the  request  of  the 
consistory. 

Dr.  Ludlow  was  born  at  Acquackanonck, 
N.  J.,  Dec.  13,  1793.  He  graduated  at  Union 
College  in  1814.  He  studied  theology  at  New 
Brunswick;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1817, 
and  in  the  year  following  was  installed  pastor 
of  the  First  Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  New 
Brunswick.  In  June,  1819,  he  was  elected  as 
a  professor  in  the  Theological  Seminary,  from 
whence,  in  1823,  he  removed  to  Albany.  In 
1834  he  became  provost  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  re- 
mained till  1852,  when  he  was  again  elect- 
ed professor  of  ecclesiastical  history,  church 
government,  and  pastoral  theology,  at  New 
Brunswick,  which  professorship  he  filled  with 
distinguished  ability  till  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  8th  of  September,  1857. 

Of  the  character  of  Dr.  Ludlow,  as  a  man, 
and  a  minister,  it  is  not  needful  that  I  should 
enlarge.  His  memory  is  too  fresh  and  fragrant 
among  this  congregation  to  require  that  I 
should  add  anything  to  your  own  stores  of 
knowledge.  You  have  lately  listened  to  an 
able  and  faithful  delineation  of  his  character, 


48 

from  our  friend  and  brother,  Rev.  Dr.  WyckofF, 
and  you  have  his  discourse  in  your  possession^ 
as  a  memorial  of  your  former  pastor.  Suffice  it 
to  say,  that  Dr.  Ludlow  was  a  bright  and  con- 
sistent illustration  of  all  that  distinguishes  the 
minister  of  Christ.  He  was  bold,  fearless, 
earnest  as  a  preacher,  uncompromising  in  his 
devotion  to  the  truth,  and  faithful  to  declare 
the  whole  counsel  of  God.  To  the  hardened 
sinner  he  was  a  ''son  of  tnunder;''  to  the 
weeping  penitent,  a  ''son  of  consolation.'^  His 
ministry  was  much  blessed  of  God,  and  there 
are  many  now  who  look  back  to  him,  as  the 
earthly  instrument  of  their  conversion.  The 
turf  is  yet  green  upon  his  grave,  but  when  the 
storm  winds  of  years  shall  have  blown  over  it, 
his  memory  will  be  green  and  fresh  in  the 
midst  of  this  people. 

In  1828  the  consistory  voted  to  erect  a  par- 
sonage, on  the  rear  of  the  Church  lot,  and 
appointed  a  building  committee  for  that  pur- 
pose. They  subsequently,  and  very  wisely, 
modified  that  purpose,  and  erected  the  present 
new  Consistory  Room  on  that  site,  and  altered  the 
former  Consistory  Building  into  a  Parsonage, 
which,  after  several  additions  and  improve- 
ments, suggested  by  the  liberality  of  the  people, 


49 

now  furnishes  a  spacious  and  delightful  resi- 
dence to  the  pastor  of  the  Church. 

In  March,  1835,  the  Rev.  Thomas  E. 
Vermilye,  then  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  of  West  Springfield,  Mass.,  where  he 
succeeded  the  Rev.  Dr.  Sprague,  who  has  been 
for  twenty-eight  years  the  esteemed  pastor  of 
the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  this  city, 
was  called  to  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Church, 
He  remained  here  between  four  and  ^ve  years, 
enjoying  a  happy  and  prosperous  ministry,  and 
was  then  transferred  to  the  Collegiate  Dutch 
Church  of  New  York,  where  for  eighteen  years 
he  has  labored,  and  where  he  still  remains,  a 
faithful  and  acceptable  minister,  in  connection 
with  the  three  excellent  brethren  who  share 
with  him  the  labors  and  responsibilities  of  that 
important  charge. 

After  the  removal  of  Dr.  Vermilye,  the  pulpit 
was  supplied  for  more  than  a  year  by  Rev.  John 
Austin  Yates,  D.  D.,  then  professor  in  Union 
College.  Dr.  Yates  was  a  preacher  of  uncom- 
mon eloquence  and  power.  His  sermons  made 
a  deep  impression  upon  the  congregation,  and 
a  call  was  informally  tendered  to  him,  to  the 
pastoral  office,  which,  however,  he  declined. 

The   Rev.   Duncan  Kennedy,  then  pastor  of 

7 


50 

the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Galway,  Saratoga 
county,  was  chosen  to  succeed  Dr.  Vermilye, 
and  was  installed  pastor,  December  22,  1841. 
After  laboring  in  this  field  with  zeal  and  fidelity 
for  more  than  thirteen  years,  during  some  of 
which,  large  accessions  were  made  to  the 
Church,  Dr.  Kennedy,  in  1855,  accepted  a  call 
to  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  Troy, 
where  he  still  remains,  the  acceptable  pastor  of 
a  large  and  important  congregation. 

In  August,  1856,  a  call  was  presented  to  the 
Rev.  Ebenezer  P.  Rogers,  D.  D.,  then  pastor  of 
the  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church  in  Phila- 
delphia, which  was  accepted,  and  he  was 
installed  pastor  of  this  Church,  November  19, 
1856. 

I  have  thus  brought  down  the  record  of  the 
history  of  this  Church  to  the  present  time.  Two 
hundred  and  fifteen  years  at  least,  have  passed 
away,  since  the  first  minister  began  his  labors 
here.  What  changes  have  been  wrought  in 
those  years  ?  Where  the  insignificant  trading 
post  of  Fort  Orange  then  stood,  with  its  few 
hundred  inhabitants,  rise  the  domes  and  spires 
of  this  goodly  city,  with  its  70,000  inhabitants, 
its  fifty  churches,  its  numerous  commercial, 
manufacturing,  benevolent,  philanthropic   and 


51 

scientific  institutions,  the  capital  of  a  great 
state.  The  little  cluster  of  worshipers,  who 
sat  under  the  instructions  of  Domine  Megapo- 
lensis,  has  grown  into  three  flourishing  congre- 
gations, embracing  600  families,  nearly  1,200 
communicants,  and  nearly  2,500  souls  con- 
nected with  the  congregations.^  These  three 
congregations  are  here  to-day,  united  in  the 
delightful  duty  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  all 
his  mercies.  Though  three,  we  are  one ;  one 
in  our  name,  our  origin,  our  faith,  our  polity, 
our  spirit,  and  our  aim.  We  rejoice  in  each 
other's  joy;  we  sympathize  in  each  other's 
sorrow.  United  as  we  are  by  so  many  asso- 
ciations and  memories  of  the  past,  let  us  be 
still  more  closely  united  in  the  history  of  the 
future.  To  you,  beloved  brethren  of  our  sister 
churches,  we  tender  our  warmest  assurances  of 
Christian  love  and  sympathy.  Your  beloved 
pastors  are  heartily  welcome  to  this  pulpit. 
You  shall  always  have  a  place  in  these  pews ; 
and  in  token  of  these,  the  sincere  feelings  of 
our  hearts,  for  myself,  and  for  this  Church,  I 

*In  1857,  the  North  Church  reported  to  General  Synod, 
200  families  ;  communicants  401  The  Middle  Church,  254 
families  ;  communicants  560.  The  South  Church,  85  families; 
communicants  350. 


52 

tender  to  you,  through  your  pastors,  the  hand 
of  Christian  fellowship. 

Connected  with  this  Church  are  about  200 
families,  embracing  1,000  souls,  while  our  list 
of  communicants  embraces  more  than  400, 
fifty-one  of  whom  have  been  added  during  the 
past  year. 

Have  we  not  something  then  for  which  to 
render  thanks  to  Almighty  God,  on  this  day  of 
public  thanksgiving  and  praise?  We  thank 
God,  for  our  origin,  our  name  and  our  history. 
We  thank  Him  for  that  constant  care  and 
kindness  which  He  has  displayed  towards  us 
as  a  Church  for  two  hundred  and  fifteen  years. 
We  thank  Him,  for  the  long  line  of  able, 
faithful  and  eloquent  ministers,  who  have  gone 
in  and  out  before  this  people  in  the  years  that 
are  past.  We  thank  Him  for  the  men  of  piety 
and  wisdom  who  have  been  entrusted  with 
the  government  of  the  Church,  and  who  hav- 
ing ruled  well  are  accounted  "  worthy  of  double 
honor."  We  thank  Him  for  the  names  which 
stand  conspicuous  in  the  history  of  our  country, 
in  the  ranks  of  her  soldiers,  her  jurists,  her 
statesmen,  her  scholars,  and  which  may  be 
found  recorded  among   the   members   of  this 


53 

congregatioA.^^  We  thank  Him  for  the  godly 
men  and  women  who  have  gone  from  the 
fellowship  of  the  Church  below,  to  that  of  the 
Church  above,  leaving  behind  them  that 
*' memory  of  the  just,"  which  is  "blessed." 

We  thank  Him  for  the  memory  of  that 
devoted  Foreign  Missionary  who  went  forth 
from  the  bosom  of  this  Church  to  labor,  and  to 
die  in  the  service  of  our  Master,  on  heathen 
ground.  We  thank  Him,  that  now,  after  two 
centuries  have  passed  away,  we  are  permitted 
to  occupy  such  a  distinguished  place,  in  our 
denomination,  and  country.  We  thank  Him 
for  the  piety,  intelligence,  and  means  of  ex- 
tended usefulness,  which  characterize  us  as  a 
people  to  day.  The  old  North  Dutch  Church 
while  she  is  the  senior  of  all  other  Churches 
in  this  city,  is  surely  in  a  green  old  age,  and 
will  yield  to  none  of  her  sister  churches  in  the 
power  of  usefulness  which  God  still  gives  her. 
Let  our  united  thanksgivings  ascend  to  God  for 
all  His  goodness  to  our  fathers,  and  to  us  their 
children.  And  let  us  feel  the  solemn  responsi- 
bilities which  our  history  and  position  devolve 
upon  us.  For  to  whomsoever  much  is  given, 
of  such   shall  much  be    required.     I  confess, 

*  See  Appendix,  Note  G. 


54 

my  friends,  that  the  thought  of  this  responsi- 
bility makes  me  tremble.  And  yet  I  am 
cheered  and  encouraged,  by  the  many  hopeful 
indications  which  the  history  of  the  past  year 
has  recorded.  I  would  fain  anticipate  for  this 
ancient  Church,  a  glorious  future.  I  would 
anticipate  her  progress  in  piety,  zeal,  liberality, 
and  efficiency  in  her  Master's  service.  I  would 
rejoice  in  the  hope  that  the  God  who  was  with 
your  fathers,  will  be  with  you  and  your  child- 
ren. And  when  all  of  us  have  been  called  to 
leave  our  places,  and  our  duties  here,  I  rejoice 
to  hope,  and  believe,  that  this  Church  will  still 
remain,  through  generations  yet  to  come,  a 
monument  of  God's  faithfulness  to  His  cove- 
nant with  His  people,  and  a  source  of  spiritual 
light  and  blessedness  to  this  city,  this  country, 
and  the  world ! 


APPENDIX 


NOTE  A. 

Wessel  Gansevoort  and  Rudolph  Agricola. 

These  men  were  among  the  "  morning  stars,"  of  the 
Reformation  in  Holland,  as  Wyckliffe  was  in  England, 
and  Huss  and  Jerome,  in  Bohemia.  ''  They  were  natives 
of  Groningen,  and  eminent  scholars,  who  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  15th  century,  fifty  years  before  Luther 
studied  the  scriptures,  came  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  justification  by  faith  as  well  as  the 
other  cardinal  doctrines  of  the  gospeh" 

Through  the  kindness  of  Gen.  Peter  Gansevoort  of 
this  city,  I  have  been  favored  with  the  following  ac- 
count of  Wessel  Gansevoort,  which  was  obtained  by 
Hon.  Harmanus  Bleecker,  during  his  residence  at  the 
Hague,  from  authentic  documents  in  Holland. 

Jan  Wessel  Hermansz.  (son  of  Herman)  Gansfort  or 
Ganzefoort,  was  born  at  Groningen  in  the  j^ear  1419. 
After  the  loss  of  his  parents  he  was  brought  up  by  a 
respectable  lady  of  that  place,  to  whom  his  mother 
was  related.  She  sent  him  with  her  son  of  the  same 
age,  to  Zwolle,  that  he  might  there,  in  the  flourishing 
school  of  the  Brotherhouse,  acquire  the  rudiments  of 
learning.  He  afterwards  pursued  his  studies  at  Cologne ; 


56 

where  from  the  Greek,  the  study  of  which  was  not 
permitted  in  his  own  country,  he  acquired  a  more 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  original  text  of  the  New 
Testament. 

Subsequently  he  resided  for  some  time  at  Heidelberg 
and  Louvain  ;  also  long  at  Paris  and  in  Rome  ;  in  all 
which  places  he  endeavored  to  be  useful,  by  instructing 
in  several  sciences,  especially  in  philoso(phy,  in  which 
he  followed  the  opinion  of  Plato.  But  what  he  taught 
with  most  fondness  was  the  Christian  theology.  In  this 
he  was  frequently  opposed  by  the  priests,  who  admired, 
but  hated  him.  Whenever  he  found  no  hindrance,  he 
shed  on  this  subject,  an  unusual  light,  which  was  re- 
ceived by  the  intelligent,  and  handed  down  to  posterity. 
Finally,  when  he  was  fifty  years  old,  he  established  him- 
self in  his  native  city,  Groningen.  Here  he  spent  the 
remnant  of  his  days  in  the  Cloister  of  the  Holy  Virgins, 
and  died  on  the  4th  of  October  1489.  In  the  mean- 
while, he  passed  much  time  in  the  Abbey  of  

not  far  from  Groningen,  where  there  was  then  a  very 
celebrated  school,  over  which  he  acquired  an  unlimited 
influence.  As  he  was  an  uncommonly  learned  man,  he 
also  exceeded  all  his  cotemporaries  in  the  knowledge 
of  theology.  He  taught  that  the  holy  scriptures  were 
the  only  rule  of  faith  and  godliness,  rejecting  as  such 
a  rule,  the  traditions  of  the  church,  the  decrees  of 
councils,  and  the  writings  of  the  fathers.  He  taught 
that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  was  imputed  to  us  by 
faith,  and  that  no  one  could  be  saved  by  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law ;  that  the  holy  sacrament  was  desecrated 
by  the  abuse  of  the  mass ;  that  by  indulgencies  a  com- 
merce was  carried  on  utterly  opposed  to  the  doctrine 
of  the  Gospel  concerning  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  that 
the  notion  of  a  purgatory  as  it  was  maintained  by  the 
priesthood,  must  be  viewed  as  a  chimera  ;  that  in  so  far 
as  the  pope  has  a  supremacy,  he  is  by  no  means  infallible; 


57 

that  he  can  not  forgive  sins,  <fec.  In  consequence  of  all 
this,  Luther  long  afterwards  perceived  that  Gansevoort 
had  thought  exactly  like  him ;  and  made  this  just  observa- 
tion, that  it  would  appear  to  the  enemies  of  the  Reforma- 
tion that  he  had  read  the  writings  of  this  man,  and 
borrowed  from  them  all  his  opinions.  But  notwith- 
standing this  was  not  entirely  the  case,  it  was  matter  of 
great  joy  to  him  that  he  had  been  so  confirmed  in  his 
opinions.  Erasmus  had  before  made  the  same  observa- 
tion in  relation  to  Luther,  compared  with  Gansevoort, 
adding  however  that  the  last  had  brought  forward 
everything  with  a  more  moral  and  Christian  pro- 
perty than  the  former,  and  the  greater  part  of  his 
followers.  Luther  also  acknowledged  this,  and  ascribed 
it  to  this  alone,  that  Gansevoort  had  not  been  able  to 
advance  the  work  of  the  Reformation  beyond  the  circle 
of  his  friends  at,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Gro- 
ningen,  and  thus  had  been  only  a  forerunner  of  the 
Reformation. 

All  the  writings  of  Gansevoort,  have  been  collectively 
published  at  several  places  and  times.  The  first  edition 
at  Wittemberg  in  the  year  1521,  under  the  superintend- 
ence of,  and  w^th  a  preface  by  Luther.  Other  editions 
followed  long  afterwards  at  Arnhem,  and  at  Groningen, 
in  the  year  1614,  and  at  Marburg  in  the  year  1617. 

Agricola,  on  the  other  hand,  was  distinguished  for  his 
attainments  in  Greek  and  Latin  literature,  and  in  vari- 
ous sciences.  He  spent  a  great  part  of  his  life  as  a 
professor  at  Heidelberg,  and  preceded  Erasmus  in 
applying  a  knowledge  of  Greek  to  the  critical  examina- 
tion of  the  New  Testament.  In  theological  views,  he 
harmonized  with  his  friend  and  countryman  Gansevoort. 
The  seed  sown  by  these  men  was  quickened  into  life  by 
the  Reformation.— (-DeTTiares'f  5  History  and  Characteristics 
of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church.) 
8 


58 


NOTE    B. 

Although  we  have  not  been  able  to  find  the  record  of 
the  labors  of  any  minister  before  the  arrival  of  Domine 
Megapolensis  in  1642,  yet  from  the  allusion  in  his  call, 
as  well  as  from  the  character  of  the  Hollanders,  there 
is  reason  to  suppose  that  the  institutions  of  religion 
were  planted  in  the  colony  at  an  earlier  day.  The  Col- 
legiate Church  in  New  York  is  said  by  some  to  have 
been  organized  as  early  as  1619.  Among  the  manu- 
scripts of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Livingston,  there  is  refer- 
ence to  a  list  of  the  members  of  that  church  in  1622. 
But  Dr.  Livingston  also  says  in  another  of  his  manu- 
scripts that  "  in  Albany  they  had  ministers  as  early  as 
any  in  New  York,  if  not  before  them."  It  is  certainly 
possible,  that  the  first  church  organized  in  this  country, 
was  the  church  in  Albany. 


NOTE  C. 

The  following  additional  particulars  respecting  Do- 
mine Megapolensis,  we  gather  from  Vol.  Ill  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society  Collections,  from  the  pen 
of  J.  Romeyn  Brodhead,  Esq. 

"  Nor  were  the  pious  services  of  Megapolensis  con- 
fined to  his  own  countr^^men.  A  part  of  his  duty  was 
to  "  edify  and  improve"  the  savages  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. He  therefore  applied  himself  diligently  to  the 
task  of  learning  what  he  termed  the  "heav}^  language" 
of  the  Mohawks,  so  as  to  be  able  to  speak  and  preach 
to  them  fluently.  The  Red  men  around  Fort  Orange 
or  Beverwyck  were  soon  attracted  to  hear  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel ;  Megapolensis,  the  first  protestant  Dutch 


59 

clergyman  on  the  northern  frontier  of  New  Netherland, 
thus  gave,  in  1643,  the  example  of  missionary  zeal, 
which,  three  years  afterwards,  in  1646,  was  imitated, 
near  Boston,  by  John  Eliot,  the  "  Morning  Star  "  of  a 
similar  enterprise  in  New  England. 

*'  An  incident  occurred  about  this  time,  which  should 
not  be  omitted  in  any  notice  of  Domine  Megapolensis. 
Father  Isaac  Jogues,  a  noble-hearted  and  self-denyiug 
Jesuit  missionary,  while  on  his  way  from  Quebec  to  the 
Chippeways,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Mohawks,  and 
suffered  horrible  cruelties  from  the  savages.  During  the 
winter  of  1642-3,  however,  some  of  his  persecutors 
began  to  listen  to  his  teachings,  and  his  situation  was 
so  far  improved  that  he  was  allowed  to  make  occasional 
visits,  with  parties  of  the  Mohawks,  to  the  neighboring 
Dutch  at  Fort  Orange,  who  did  all  they  could  to  effect 
his  deliverance.  At  length  Jogues  eluded  the  vigilance 
of  the  savages,  and  remained  for  several  weeks  in  close 
concealment,  during  which  constant  kindness  was  shown 
him  by  Domine  Megapolensis,  who  had  become  his 
warm  friend.  The  Jesuit  father  was  eventually  ran- 
somed by  the  Dutch,  and  sent  down  to  Manhattan, 
whence  he  sailed  for  Europe.  Jogues  returned  to 
Canada  in  1646,  and  again  visited  the  Mohawks,  by 
whom  he  was  cruelly  put  to  death. 

"  In  1644,  two  years  after  his  settlement  at  Bever- 
wyck,  Domine  Megapolensis  drew  up  the  tract  entitled 
Korte  Ontwerp  van  de  Mahakuase  Indianen  in  JYieuw  JYeder- 
landt,  &c.,  or,  '"A  Short  Sketch  of  the  Mohawk  Indians 
in  New  Netherland,  &c."  This  little  work  is  said  by 
Van  der  Donck  (N.  Y.  H.  S.  Coll  [11.  Series],  i,  p.  158,) 
to  have  been  in  the  form  of  a  letter  written  to  his 
friends  in  Holland,  by  whom  it  appears  to  have  been 
published — as  the  domine  himself  said — "  without  his 
consent."  Van  der  Donck,  who  is  very  competent 
authority,  adds,  that  it  "  may  be  fully  credited,  he  [Me- 


60 

gapolensis]  being  a  man  of  truth  and  of  great  learning, 
who  writes  in  a  vigorous  style."  The  domine's  tract 
gives  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  Mohawk  Indians, 
their  habits  and  customs,  of  which  but  little  was  then 
known  in  Holland.  ***** 

"Megapolensis  never  lost  his  interest  in  the  Mohawk 
savages,  among  whom  he  had  spent  his  early  years  in 
the  province.  His  letters  to  the  classis  of  Amsterdam 
contam  several  interesting  details  concerning  them, 
from  whom  he  obtained  the  missal  and  other  memorials 
of  his  murdered  friend,  the  missionary  Father  Jogues. 
In  1658,  another  Canadian  Jesuit,  Simon  Le  Moyne,  who, 
in  the  summer  of  1654,  had  discovered  the  salt  springs 
at  Onondaga,  visited  New  Amsterdam,  and  became 
quite  intimate  with  Megapolensis.  He  related  to  him 
his  discovery  at  Onondaga,  which  the  domine  commu- 
nicated to  the  classis  in  Holland,  adding,  however,  a 
somewhat  uncourteous  expression  of  his  doubt  of  the 
fact.  Le  Moyne  seems  to  have  been  very  anxious  to 
effect  the  conversion  of  his  Dutch  clerical  friend  to  the 
Romish  doctrine,  and  wrote  three  polemical  essays, 
which  he  sent  to  Megapolensis,  after  his  return  to  the 
North.  The  domine,  however,  not  shaken  in  his  faith, 
prepared  a  reply  to  the  father,  which  he  dispatched  to 
him  by  a  bark  which  sailed  from  New  Amsterdam  for 
Quebec.  But  the  vessel — which  was  the  first  that 
cleared  from  Manhattan  for  Canada- — on  entering  the 
Saint  Lawrence  was  wrecked  on  the  Island  of  Anticosti 
and  Le  Moyne  lost  the  benefit  of  the  domine's  elaborate 
answer.  *  *  ***:*# 

"  Megapolensis,  after  seven  years'  service  at  Bever- 
wyck,  and  twenty  years'  labor  at  Manhattan,  died  in 
the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  functions.  He  was  a  man 
of  thorough  scholarship,  energetic  character,  and  de- 
voted piety  ;  and  he  is  entitled  to  high,  if  not  preemi- 
nent position,  in  the  roll  of  early  protestant  missionaries 


61 

among  the  North  American  savages.  For  nearly  a  quarter 
of  a  century  he  exercised  a  marked  influence  in  the  affairs 
of  New  Netherland.  He  saw  the  infancy  of  the  Dutch 
province,  watched  its  growth,  and  witnessed  its  sur- 
render to  overpowering  English  force.  His  name  must 
ever  be  associated  with  the  early  history  of  New  York, 
towards  the  illustration  of  which  his  correspondence 
with  the  classis  of  Amsterdam,  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  general  synod  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch 
Church,  and  this  sketch  of  the  Mohawk  Indians,  form 
original  and  very  valuable  contributions." 


The  Baptismal  Register 
For  1690  contains  the  following  names  of  Indian  con- 
verts : 

Age,  Bap.  Name. 

Sucongara  (Little  Plank), 40,  David, 

Kowajatense  (his  wife), 30,  Rebecca, 

Tekaneadaroga, 22,  Isaac, 

Tejonihokarawe  (Open  the  Door),.  . .     30,  Hendrick, 

Karanondo  (Uplifter), 50,  Lydia, 

Kaadejiheudara, 12,  Seth, 

Siouheja  (Lively), Rachel, 

Skanjodowanne  (Eagle's  Beak), Manasse, 

Sagonorasse  (Fast  Binder), 12,  Adam, 

Karehodongwas  (The  Plucker), 16,  Eunice, 

(Son  of  Eunice), 9  mos.  Simon, 

Kwaorate  (Mother  of  Eunice), 60,  Leah, 

Karehojenda  (Daughter  of  Leah),.  . .     30,  Alida, 

Waniho, 40,  Josine, 

Daughter  of  Josine, 9,  Jakomina, 

Son  of  Josine, 7,  Joshua. 


62 


NOTE  D. 

Petition  for  Rebuilding  the  Dutch  Church  in  Albany. 

To  His  Excellency  Robert  Hunter  Esqr  Cap^  Generall 

and  Governour  in  Chief  of  the  provinces  of  New  York 

New  Jersey  and  Territories   thereon   Depending   in 

America  and  vice  Admirall  of  the  Same  &c 

The  Humble  Petition  of  Petrus  van  Driesen  Minister 

of  the  Nether  Dutch  Reformed  Congregation  of  the  City 

and  County  of  Albany  and  the  Elders  and  Deacons  of 

the  said  Congregation,  Humbly  Sheweth 

That  the  Predecessors  of  your  Excellency's  humble 
Petitioners  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1655  &  1656  when 
this  towne  was  Settled  did  with  assistance  of  the  then 
nether  dutch  Congregation  build  and  Erect  at  their  own 
proper  Cost  and  Charge  the  Church  belonging  to  the 
said  congregation  (Standing  &  being  in  the  said  City) 
for  their  Christian  devotion  and  Publick  worship  of 
Almighty  god,  in  the  Exercise  of  the  Reformed  pro- 
testant  Religion,  which  Church  is  Since  been  Confirmed 
to  the  Mayor  Alderman  &  Commonalty  of  y'^  Said  City 
by  Charter,  under  the  Scale  of  the  Province. 

That  the  said  Church  being  built  of  timber  &  boards 
is  by  time  so  much  decayd  that  they  find  themselves 
under  the  necessity  of  building  a  new  one  in  its  place 
and  your  Petitioners  believing  your  Excellencys  Con- 
tinance  and  approbation  will  be  very  advantageous  to 
them,  in  this  their  undertaking. 

Your  Excys  Petitioners  do  therefore  most  humbly 
pray  that  your  Excellency  will  please  to  approve  and 
Encourage  this  pious  work  by  signifying  such  your  ap- 


63 

probation  and  your  petitioners  as  in  duty  bound  shall 

Ever  pray  &c 

Petrus  van  Driessen  Y.  D.  Proeco 

Johannes  Rooseboom 

Myndert  Schuyler 

Hendr  van  Rensselaer 

Johannes  Beekman 

RUTGERT  BlEECKER 

Stevanie  Groesbeck 
I  do  approbe  of  what  is  desired  In  the  petition  and 
recommend  the  Same  to  all  who  are  concernd 

18  June  1714  Ro:  Hunter 


Introduction  to  Mr.  Van  Driessen's  Three  Discourses. 
We  give  below  the  introduction  to  three  sermons  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Yan  Driessen,  two  of  which  were  preached  on 
the  accession  of  King  George  I  to  the  throne  of  Great 
Britain,  and  one  on  the  occasion  of  Gov.  Burnet's  treaty 
with  the  Five  Nations.  The  sermons  were  printed  in 
1726: 

To  his  Excellency  WILLIAM  BURJYET,  Esq  ;  Captain 

General  and  Governour  in  Chief  of  the  Provinces  of 

JYew-York,  JYew-Jersey,  and  the  Territories  depending 

thereon  in  America,  and  Yice  Admiral  of  the  same,  kc. 

May  it  please  Your  Excellency : 

Of  Ancient  Times  certain  Princes  of  this  World,  thro' 
the  Greatness  of  their  Souls,  have  made  themselves 
renowned  ;  so  that  several  Princes  are  famed,  that 
They  held  the  Scepter  in  their  left  Hand,  but  the  Pen 
in  their  Right:  And  thence  the  old  Proverb,  HIS 
PRJEVIDE  ET  PROVIDE;  that  they  might  not  only  show 
themselves  ready  and  capable  for  the  Execution  of  those 
Affairs,  confided  and  subjected  to  them,  but  were  also 
willing  to  prove  the  Elevation  of  their  Souls  (called  by 
Aristotle  the  Lord  of  Nature)  by  applying  and  explaining 


64 

themselves  in  their  Studies  of  noble  Sciences  :  Cassidorus 
calls  it  the  Crown  and  Lustre  of  the  Majesty  of  Princes,  as 
of  a  far  greater  Lustre  in  a  Crown  than  precious  Stones, 
and  more  Excellent  than  the  best  of  Jewels. 

This  Nobleness  of  Mind  has  not  a  little  contributed 
to  the  good  Management  of  their  Affairs ;  thereby 
evincing  that  they  were  capable  to  Execute  such  Matters 
as  were  fitting  for  their  Grandeur. 

In  the  Picture  of  Ccesar,  standing  upon  a  Globe,  he  is 
seen  holding  a  Sword  in  one  Hand  and  a  Pair  of  Scales 
in  the  other,  with  this  Motto,  ON  BOTH  SIDES  CJESAR; 
whereby  we  are  taught,  that  in  Government  an  illumin- 
ated Judgment,  as  well  as  the  Use  of  Arms,  was  neces- 
sary :  Therefore  it  was  very  pertinently  said  by  the 
Ancients,  Good  Learning  is  Silver  in  the  common  People, 
Gold  in  the  JYobles,  but  in  the  Princes  precious  Stones  :  Yea, 
the  Holy  Scriptures  exalts  them  yet  above  ail  those 
Excellencies  ;  so  Wisdom  in  such  Persons  is  glorifying 
her  Government,  as  they  are  thereby  glorified. 

I  having  the  Honour  and  Happiness  to  know  Your 
Excellency,  not  only  in  your  Chief  Government  of  these 
American  Provinces,  but  also  as  being  endued  with  the 
noble  Attributes  of  a  zealous  Lover  of  noble  Sciences 
and  Languages  ;  thereby  continually  animating  Your 
great  Soul  to  a  further  Progress  in  sound  Knowledge, 
both  of  Divine  and  Temporal  Matters,  to  the  greater 
Lustre  of  Your  Excellency  and  Advancement  in  Repu- 
tation and  Grandeur. 

So  that  the  Greatness  of  Soul  of  your  deceased 
Father  revives  in  you,  who  exceeded  in  all  what  may 
be  called  Learning,  many  of  his  Cotemporaries,  and  as 
such  was  highly  esteemed  and  loved  by  Foreigners,  as 
also  for  his  Zeal  for  the  true  Religion,  manifested  as 
the  Flower  and  Lustre  of  Pious  Men,  when  the  Mystery 
of  Iniquity  was  in  Travel  and  brought  forth  Vanity,  at 
the  Time  when  his  Honour  published  his  History  of 


65 

the  Reformation  ;  and  shewed  himself  moreover,  with 
many  others,  a  vigilant  Defender  of  that  blessed  Con- 
stitution in  Church  and  State,  whereof  we  now  eujoy 
the  pleasant  Fruits,  which  will  cause  him  to  be  admired 
by  our  Posterity  in  Uiany  Ages,  and  therefore  to  live 
forever  in  the  Remembrance  of  us  and  ours. 

How  just  is  then  the  Oppinion  of  such  who  are 
assured  hereof,  and  have  the  Honour  to  know  Your 
Excellency,  and  have  spied  out  Your  innate  Love  to 
Learning,  and  that  Your  Excellency  may  be  numbered 
among  those  that  are  said  to  Patrizare,  I  mean  to  suc- 
ceed their  renowned  Parents  in  their  excellent  Virtues. 
Aristotle  said  once.  It  is  likely  that  those  are  better  that  draw 
their  Pedigree  from  the  Good.  To  that  End  we  read  in 
Horace, 

Fortes  crea^itur  Fortihus,  Sf  Bonis. 
Est  in  Jiivencis,  est  in  Equis  Par  turn 
Virtus  :  nee  imhellem  feroces 
Progenernnt  Aquilla  Collumharii. 

Your  Excellency  honoured  me  with  your  Presence 
when  I  treated  of  The  Apointment  of  the  Powers  of  this 
World,  hy  the  Divine  Jesus  ;  on  the  occasion  of  Your  Excel- 
lency's treating  with  the  Five  JYations  of  Indians,  upon  Prov. 
VHI,  14,-16.  Doing  me  the  Honour  to  desire  that 
Sermon  of  me ;  far  from  it  that  I  should  have  formed 
the  least  Thoughts  that  would  have  been  unwilling  to 
shew  my  Readiness  to  satisf}^  Your  Excellency,  that,  on 
the  contrary,  I  not  only  concluded  to  dedicate  the  same 
to  your  Excellency,  but  also  to  joyn  thereunto  Solomons 
Coronation  and  Exaltation  to  the  Throne,  on  Occasion  of  his 
Majesty  King  George's  Accession  to  the  Crown  and  Throne 
q/'Great  Britain  ;  upon  1  Reg.  I,  36,-40.  A  Matter  brought 
forth  from  the  sincere  Inclination  of  my  Heart,  which  I 
have  to  our  present  Sovereign  Lord  GEORGE,  by  the 
Grace  of  god,  King  of  Great  Britain,  and  my  Desire  for 
the  Establishing  the  Protestant  Being.  A  happy  Esta- 
9 


66 

blisliment,  whicli  we  are  to  look  upon  as  a  happy  Con- 
sequence  and  Effect  of  the  Actions  of  the  great  and 
prevoyant  King  William  the  third,  of  glorious  Memory, 
and  his  faithful  Ministers  of  State,  who  certainly  effected 
it  plura  Concilio  qiiam  Vi.  An  Establishment,  neverthe- 
less, which  we  ought  peculiarly  to  ascribe  to  the  Provi- 
dence of  the  most  High.  So  that  we  must  acknowl- 
edge, that  this  great  Event  depends  more  on  the  divine 
Council  than  on  the  Power  or  Wisdom  of  Men. 

Hereunto  I  have  added.  The  Scaffold  of  Felonious 
Traitors  against  their  lawful  Sovereign  Lord  George,  Ki7ig 
of  Great  Britain,  erected  and  eiposed  to  View  ;  upon  Psal. 
LXn,  3,-7.  In  Expectation  that  this  Sermon  would  be 
no  less  pleasant  to  Your  Excellency  than  the  former, 
considering  Your  Love  for  the  Kings  Happiness  and 
Zeal  for  the  Commonwealth.  They  who  designed  to 
dethrone  their  lawful  Sovereign  King  GEORGE,  are  de- 
ceived in  their  Enterprize,  and  all  their  Designs  are 
fallen  out  to  their  Shame.  A  Prove  of  the  horrid  Per- 
versness  of  Antichristian  Malignants,  wickedly  designing 
to  change  the  Protestant  Religion  into  Papal  Tyranny. 

For  the  rest,  with  this  Dedication  I  do  express  my 
Acknowledgment  and  Esteem  for  Your  Excellency's 
penetrating  Judgment  in  noble  Sciences  ;  as  also  my 
Duty  to  You,  as  my  Superiour  Governour ;  my  Desire 
is  that  they  may  serve  as  a  Token  of  my  Gratitude  for 
the  especial  Favours  wherewith  Your  Excellency  has 
honoured  me  during  my  Abode  here. 

And  my  Pra3"er  to  the  Alsufficient  God  is,  That  he 
endue  Your  Excellency  with  more  Wisdom,  and  make  You 
more  and  more  capable  to  execute  those  high  Powers  of  Go- 
vernment, under  the  Divine  Providence  entrusted  unto  You  by 
His  Majesty,  and  that  according  to  the  best  Policy,  to  the 
Wellbeing  of  Church  and  State  ;  and  that  especially  the  Af- 
fairs of  the  Kingdom,  which  are  here  of  great  Consequence, 
may,  under  Your  good  Government,  be  happy  and  flourish. 


67 

To  which  End  the  Lord  grant  you  Wise,  Faithful  and 
Wellmeaning  Counsellors,  to  make  Your  Goveimment  the  more 
praiseworthy,  and  the  Inhabitants  happy  and  prosperous. 

Yea,  the  Lord  crown  Your  Person,  Government  and  Family 
ivith  Grace  and  Honour,  in  Length  of  Days. 
This  Desires,  Wishes  and  Prays, 

May  it  please  Your  Excellency, 

Your  Excellency's  faithful,  and 

ready  Servant  in  the  Lord, 
Petrus  Van  Drissen". 


NOTE   E. 
Early  Members  op  the  Church. 
We  give  below  the  list  of  members  from  1683,  as  they 
stand   upon  the  records  of  the  Church  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Mr.  Dellius: 


Juriaan  Teunis, 

Ariaentje  Teunis, 

Abraham  Staats, 

Tryntje  Staats, 

Willem  Teller, 

Marritje  Teller, 

Jan  Becker, 

Mari  Becker, 

Aarnout  Cornells  Vilen, 

Gerrigje  Vilen, 

Andries  Teller, 

Sephia  Teller, 

Johannes  Provoost, 

Cornells  Yan  Dyck, 

Lysbet  Van  Dyck, 

Catryn  Butgirs, 

Anaetje  Lives  (married 
Goosen  Gerritsen  Van 
Scayck,  July,  1657), 


Jochum  Staats, 

Lysbet  Bancker, 

Margeriet  Schuyler, 

Bi chart  Pritti, 

Lysbet  Pritti, 

Annetje  Staats, 

Jan  Tomes, 

Geertruyt  Tomes, 

Jacob  Schermerhorn  (im- 
migrated 1645?), 

Janetje  Schermerhorn  (da. 
of  Cornells  Segers), 

Meindert  Herman  (VanDen 
Bogert), 

Heleen  Hermans  (his  wife, 
and  da.  of  Jacob  Jans 
Schermerhorn), 

Evert  Wendel  the  Father, 

Merritje  Wendels, 


68 


Johannes  Wendell, 
Lysbet  Wendell  (now  Schuy- 

"ler), 
Hendrick  Cuyler, 
Annetje  Cuyler, 
Henderick  Rosenboom, 
Gysbertje  Eosemboom  (da. 

of Lansing), 

Jan  Ouderkerck, 

Dirck  Wesselse  TenBrouck, 

Styntje  Ten  Brouck  (da.  of 

Cornells  Maasen  Yan  Beu- 

ren  ?), 
Marten  Krygier, 
Jannetje   Krygier   (da.    of 

Hendricks), 

Adriaan    Gerrits     (Papen- 

dorp), 
Jannetje  Gerrits  (liis  wife), 
Gerrit  Swart, 
Antonia  Swart, 
Wouter  Van  Den  Uythost, 
Leendert  Phlipsen  (Conyn), 
Agnietje    Leenderts    (his 

wife), 
Anna  Yan  der  Heyden, 
Arien  Yan  Elpendam, 
Gerrit  Yan  Esch, 
Marietje  Yan  Esch, 
Hermen  Tomes  (Hun?), 
Catelyntje  Tomes  (his  wife) 
Anna  Kettel, 

Grietje  Gouws  (she  is  dead) 
Taakel  Dircks, 
Marritje  Taakels  (his  wife). 


Wynand  Gerrits  (Yan  der 

Poel), 
Tryntje  Wynands  (his  wife) 
Pieter  Loockerman, 
Marretje  Lookermans, 
David  Schuyler, 
Catelyntje  Schuyler, 
Pieter  Mees  Yrooman, 
Folikje  Yrooman, 
Jacob  Mees  Yrooman, 
L^^sbeth  Yrooman, 
Aalbert  Ryckman, 
Nelletje  Ryckman, 
Sybrent  Yan  Schayck, 
Lysbet  Yan  Schayck  (now 

Corlaar), 
Jacob  Staats, 
Ryckje  Staats, 
Willem  Percker, 
Maria  Percker, 
Robbert  Levinchston, 
Alida  Levinchston   (da.  of 

Schuyler), 

Philip  Freest, 

Tryntje  Freest  (da.  of 

Kip), 
Gerrit  Hardenberch, 
Joapje  Hardenberch, 
Abraham  Yan  Tricht, 
Lysbeth  Yan  Tricht    (now 

Yanderpoel), 
Symen  (Jacobs)  Schermer- 

horn, 
Wilmje  Schermerhorn  (now 

Winnen), 


I 


69 


Johannes  de  Wandelaar, 
Sara  de  Wandelaar  (da.  of 

Schep-Moes). 

Johannes  Van  Sandt, 
Margeriet  Van  Sant, 
Melcherfc  Wynandts   (Yan- 

derpoel). 
Areaantje  Wynandts  (his 

wife). 
Laurens  Van  Alen, 
Elbertje  Van  Alen, 
Tryntje  Rutten   (now  Rose- 
boom), 
Jan  Jans  Bleecker, 
GrietjenBleecker(da.  of 

Van  Schoendemund), 
Jan  By  van  g, 
Belia  Byvang, 
Gerrit  Lansing, 
Elsje  Lansing, 
Hendrick  Lansing, 
Lysbet  Lansing, 
Jan  Lansing, 
Geertje  Lansing, 
Jan  Nack, 
Jan  Vinhagel, 
Marretje  Vinhagel, 
Geertje  Bout, 
Willem  Bout, 
Luycas  Gerrits, 
Antje  Lucas, 
Isaac  Verplanck, 
Abigail  Verplanck   (da.  of 

Bogert), 

Johannes  Beeckman, 
Machtelt  Beeckman  (da.  of 

Jacob  J.  Schermerhorn), 


Nicolaas  Van  Rotterdam, 
Lysbet  Van  Rotterdam, 
Harmen     Bastiaans     (Vis- 

scher), 
Hester    Bastiaans    (da.    of 

Turk), 

Robbert  Sanders  (Glen?), 
Elsje  Sanders  (Glen), 
Jacob  Sanders  (Glen), 
Caatje  Sanders  (nowDouw) 
Nicolaas  Rips, 
Marie  Nicolaas  Rips, 
Jacob  Coenraats, 
Geertje  Jacobs  (his  wife), 
Johannes  Roosenboom, 
Margeriet  Roosenboom, 
Jan  Cloet, 
Bata    Cloet    (da.    of  

Slightenhast), 
Pieter  Davids  Schuyler, 
Alida  Schuyler  (da.  of  Sligh- 
tenhast), 
Guysbert  Marselis, 
Barbar   Marselis   (his  wife, 

da.  of  Claas  Jacobs  Groes- 

beck), 
Willem  Claes  Groesbeeck, 
Geertruyt  Groosbeeck  (da. 

of Schuyler), 

Johannes  Roos, 

Cornelia  Roos, 

Jan  Gilbert, 

Cornelia  Gilbert  (da.  of 

Van  den  Bergh), 
Evert  Wendel  (the  son), 
Lysbeth  Wendel  (da.  of 

Glen), 


70 


Cornelis  Scherluyn, 

Geertruyt  Scherluyn  (da.  of 
Harman  B.  Visscher), 

Rachel  Rettle, 

Jacob  Loockerman, 

Tryntje  Loockerman, 

Caatje    Lookerman    (now 
Ten  Brock), 

Jacob  Abrahams, 

Catelyntje  Jacobs  (his  wife) 

Nicolaes  Van  Elslant, 

Aaltje  Frans  (Pruyn), 

Johannes  Appel, 

Anetje  Appel, 

Johannes  Tomes  (Mingaal), 

Mari  Jans  (Mingall,  da.  of 
Jan  Jans  Oothout), 

Jacobus  Turck, 

Caatje  Turck  (da.  of  Van 
Benthuisen), 

Levinus  Van  Schayck, 

Margaret  Van  Schayck, 

Henderick  Bries, 

Marie  Bries  (now  Loker- 
mans), 

Reimer  Barents, 

Bastiaan  Harmens  (Vis- 
scher), 

Dirckje  Bastiaans  (his  wife, 
and  da.  of  Tennis  Teu- 
nisse  de  Metselaar), 

Maas  Cornelis  (Van  Buren), 

Jacomyn  Maas  (his  wife), 

Willem  Guysberts  (Van  den 
Bergh), 

Catryn  Willems  (his  wife), 


Cornelis  Gysberts  (Van  den 

Pieter  Winne,  [Bergh), 

Tanne  Winne, 

Levinus  Winne, 

Jan  Salomons  (Goewey), 

Caatje  Salomons  (his  wife), 
and  da.  of Looker- 
man), 

Barbar  Salomons  (Goewey) 

Dirck  Bensing, 

Fytje  Bensing, 

Lysbet  Herris  (now  Kaer), 

Huybertje  Jeedts, 

Pieter  Schuyler, 

Engeltje  Schuyler, 

Arent  Schuyler, 

Maria  Van  Renselaar, 

Ciliaan  Van  Renselaar, 

Anna  Van  Renselaar, 

Tennis  (Cornelis)  Van  der 
Poel, 

Catryn  Van  der  Poel, 

Anna  Van  der  Poel, 

Hendrick  Van  Esch, 

Annetje  Van  Esch, 

Luycas  Pieters  (Coeyman), 

Ariaantje  Lucas  (his  wife), 

Adam  Winnen, 

Anna  Winnen  (now  Teu_ 
nisse), 

Marten  Jans, 

Jannetje  Martens  (his  wife, 
and  da.  of' Cornelis), 

Marritje  Quakelbosch, 

Douwe  Jelis  (died  Nov.  27, 
1700), 


71 


Rebecca  Douws  (his  wife), 

Wouter  Quakelbosch, 

Neeltje  Quakelbosch, 

Jan  (Pieters)  Quakelbosch, 

Machtelt  Quakelbosch  (da. 
of  Jan  Post), 

Reinier  (Pieters)  Quakel- 
bosch, 

Lysbit  Quackelbosch, 

Folekje  Brabanders, 

Margriet  Ketel, 

Ysbrant  Elders, 

Jan  de  Noorman  (the  elder) 

Marritje  Noorman  (now 
Carbith), 

Jan  (Andries)  Douw, 

Catryn  Douw, 

Arien  Appel, 

Wouter  de  Rademmaecker, 

Grietje  Wouters  (his  wife), 

Gerrit  Reyers, 

Annetje  Reyers, 

Marretje  Van  Schayck, 

Geertje  Brickers, 

Marretje  Zacharias, 

Robbert  Sickels, 

Cornelis  Van  der  Hoeven, 

Metje  Van  der  Hoeven, 

Merselis  Jans, 

Annetje  Marselis  (his  wife), 

Pieter  Bogardus, 

Wyntje  Bogardus  (da.   of 
Cornelis  Bosch), 

Marten  Gerrits  (Van  Ber- 
gen), 

Jannetje  Martens  (his  wife, 
Nieltje  Myndert,  2d  wife) 


Tennis  Cornelis  (Van  Vech- 
ten), 

Hester  Teunissen  (his  wife) 

Geertje  Van  der  Hoeven, 

Jurian  C oiler, 

Lysbeth  Co  Her, 

Andries  de  Sweed  (i.  e..  An- 
dries Alberts  Bratt), 

Neeltje  Andries  (da.  of  Ten- 
nis Sway), 

Tennis  Slingerlandt, 

Celia  Slingerlant, 

Jan  Hendricks  (Van  den 
Bergh), 

Maria  Jans, 

Jan  Van  der  Hoeven, 

Jannetje  Ver  Wey, 

Sara  Ketel, 

Sela  Ketel  (now  Rachel  Van 
der  Heyden), 

Antje  Cross, 

Paulyn  Jans, 

Wyntje  Paulyns  (his  wife), 

Ryck  Michiels, 

Jannetje  Paulyns, 

Anna  Pieterse  (Van  Slyck), 

Hendrick  Maes  (Van  Beu- 


ren 


Lysbeth  Hendricks  (his 
wife), 

Gerrit  Gysberts  (Van  den 
Berg), 

Teuntje  Gerrits  (his  w^ife), 

Frerick  de  Drent, 

Jannetje  Vries  (now  Sals- 
berry), 

Hendrick  Marselis, 


72 


Barent  Pieters  (Coe3^man), 
Jacob  Salomons  (Goewey), 
Lyntje  Salomons  (his  Avife), 
Geertruyt  Rinckhout, 
Mattys  Hoogliteeling, 
Maria  Hoogliteeling, 
Jan  Jacobs  Van  Oostrant, 
Agnient  Van  Oostrant, 
Plilip  Leenderts  (Conyn), 
Wyntje  Plilips  (his  wife,  and 

da.  of Dirks), 

G  err  it  Lamberts  (Yan  Yal- 

kenburgh), 
Marie  Jochems, 
Dirck    Tennis     (Yan  der 

Yechten), 
Jannetje  Dircks  (rather  Yan 

der  Yechten), 
Gerrit   Tennis    (Yan    der 

Yechten), 
Grietje  Gerrits  (Yan   der 

Yechten), 
Magdeleen  Quakelbosch, 
Andries  Jans  (Witbeck), 
Jan  Bronck, 
Commertje  Bronck  (da.  of 

Lendert  Conyn), 
Melchert  Abrams  (Yan  Deu- 

sen), 
Engeltje  Abrams  (his  wife), 
Hendrick    Abels    (Ridden- 

haas), 
Sephia  Abels  (now  Nak), 
Johannes  (Jans)  Gothout, 
Hendrick  (Jans)  Gothout, 
Jacobus  Jans, 
Jannetje  Jacobs  (his  wife), 


Mayken  Jacobus, 
Abraham  Yan  Breemen, 
Marretje  Yan  Bremen, 
Johannes  Jans  (Witbeck), 
Lysbet  Jans   (Witbeck,  da. 

of  Leendert  Conyn), 
Claes  Yan  Petten, 
Isje  Yan  Petten, 
Cornelis  Teunis  Yan  Yech- 
ten), 
Annetje  Cornelis  (his  wife), 
Marten  Cornelis  (Yan  Beu- 

ren), 
Marretje  Martens  (his  wife) 
Cornelia  Martens  (now  Yan 

Deusen), 
Angeltjie  Andries  (wife  of 

Andries  Jans  Witbeck  7); 
Geertje  Gysberts, 
Hendrick  Yer  Wey, 
Teunis  de  Metselaar, 
Egbertje  Teunis  (his  wife), 
Wilmje  Teunis  (now  Bratt) 
Symen  Schouten, 
Cypjen  Schouten, 
Andries  Hans, 
Gerretje  Andries  (his  wife^ 

and  da.  of  Teunis  Teunis- 

se  de  Metselaar), 
Isje  Hans, 

Jacob  Yan  Oostrant, 
Mees  Hogenboom, 
Catryn  Hogenboom, 
Ariaantje  Hogenboom, 
Antoni  Yan  Schayck, 
Marietje  Yan  Schayck  (da. 

of Yan  der  Poel), 


73 

Roeloff  Gerrits,  Maria    Jacobs    (now    Van 

Geertruyt  Roelofs  (his  wife)       Vechten), 

Jan  Grutters,  Jan  Martens, 

Hermen  Lievens,  Dirckje  Jans  (his  wife), 

Marretje  Hermens  (Liever-  Aalbert (Jacobs)  Gerdenier, 

sen),  Marretje  Aalberts(his  wife) 

Jan  Van  Esch,  Jannetje     Lamberts     (Van 

Aaltje  Van  Esch,  Volkenburgh), 

Barent  Bratt,  Tarn  Kreeve, 

Susanna  Bratt,  Jannetje  Kreeve, 

Geurt  Hendricks,  Aahje  Adams, 

Marretje  Geurten  (his  wife)  Teuwis  Cool, 
Andries  Carstels,  Marretje  Teuwis  (his  wife), 

Harmen  Jans  Knickelback-  Ariaantje  Hendriks, 

er,  Teuwis  Abrams, 

Lysbet  Harmens  (his  w4fe,  Helena  Teuwis  (his  wife), 

and  da.  of Bogert),     Samson  Bensing, 

Wessel  Ten  Broeck,  Tryntje  Samsons  (his  wife, 

Elsje  Ten  Broeck  (now  Guy-       a  Mathus), 

ler),  Johannes  Bensing, 

Lambert  Van  Valkenborgh,  Matty s  Hooghteeling, 
Alida  Vinhagel   (now  Vis-  Nanning     Harmens     (Vis- 

scher),  scher), 

Gysje  Vanderheyden  Cornlis  Stephens  (Muller), 

(now  Geesje  Kip),  .Hilletje  Cornelis  (a  Looker- 

Cornelia  Van  der  Heyden,         man  his  wife), 
Jan  Tysens  Hoes  (i.  e.  Caasper  Leenderts  (Conyn) 

Goes  ?),  Colette    Caspars    (Winnen 

Styntje  Hoes,  his  wife), 

Jochum  Lamberts  (Van  Val-  Mayken  Martens, 

kenburgh),  Isabella  Dellius, 

Eva  Jochum  (his  wife,  Dorete  Volkens  (Douw  ?), 

da.  of Vrowman),       Catryntje  Volkens  (Douw?) 

Pieter  Vosburgh,  Maria   Schuyler   (now  Van 

Jannetje  Pieter3(Vosburgh)       Dyck), 
Geertruyt  Vosburgh,  Mayken  Jacobs, 

10 


74 

Anerigje  Jans,  Catelyntje  Ten  Brouck, 

Phlip  Wendell,  Martina  Bicker  (now  Hoo- 

BastianHarmans(Visscber)       g^n), 
Rebecca  Everts  (wife  of         Susanna  Wendel, 

Hanssen),  Benony  Van  Corlar, 

Hester  Bricker  (now  Slin-  Jan  Ratlife, 

gerland),  Antje  Van  Esch  (now  Rid- 

Aaltje  Arents,  der), 

Andries  Jans,  Martina  Tennis, 

Barentje  Jans,  Cornelia  Ten  Broeck, 

Jonas  Volkens  (Douw),  Susanna  Barents, 

Chilian  Winne,  Sara  Sanders  (now  Greeven- 

Thomas  Winne,  rood), 

Barentje   VoUewever   (sur-  Marie  Katelyne  (now  Bratt) 

named  Schaats),  Dyrckje  Luyckens, 

Jacob  Teunis  Van  Schoon-  Antje  Becker, 

derwooert,  Abraham  Staats,  Jr., 

Margaret  Van  Dam,  Elbert  Gerrits, 

Hester  Harmens  (Visscher)  Jan  Huyberts, 
Willemyntje  Nack,  Johannes  Bleycker,  Jr., 

Sara  Cuyler  (now  Van  Antoni  Bries, 

Brugge),  Gerrit  Lansing,  Jr., 

Maria  Sanders  (now  Rose-  Herbert  Jacobs  (Van  Deu- 

boom),  sen), 

Gerritje  Costers  (now  Rose-  Hendrick  Rosenboom,  Jr., 

boom),  Jan  Abeel, 

Alida  Everts  (now  Oothout)  Maria  Parcker, 
Paulus  Martens  Van  Bent-  Catryn  Villeroy, 

buy  sen,  Sarah  Hardenberch, 

Wouter     Pieters     Quakel-  Annetje  Lives, 

bosch,  Abraham  Cuyler, 

Pieter  Hendrick  De  Haas,     Dirck  Barents  Bratt, 
Pieter  Tomes  Mingaal,  Solomon  Frederick  Booch, 

Helena  Byvang,  Elizabeth  Van  Gelder, 

Rebecca  Claes  (Groesbeck  ?  Symon  Van  Esch, 

now  Van  Schaak),  Catharine  Van  Schayck, 


Deborah  Van  Pam  (wife 
of  Hendrick  Hansse), 

Margriet  Jurries, 

Zytje  Marselis  (wife  of  Jo- 
seph Jansse), 

Est  de  Ridder, 

Cornel  is  Martens, 

Jacob  Yosbergh, 

Isaac  Vosberch, 

Abraham  Jans  (Yan  Al- 
styne  ?), 

Lambert  Jans    (Yan  Al- 
styne  ?), 

Isaac  Jans  (Yan  Alstyne  ?), 

Dorotche  Yosburgh, 

Teuntje  Jans  (Yan  Alstyne? 
now  Winnen), 

Manetje  Yosburgh, 

Anna  Yosburgh, 

Geertruy  Sickles, 

Est  Bancker, 

Elizabeth  Bancker(an  Abeel 
his  wife), 

David  Christiaans, 

Abraham  Isaacks, 

Anna  Sickels, 

Cornelia  Yan  Male, 

Johannes  Schuyler, 

Margriet  Schuyler, 

Cornelia  Yroman, 

Lysbeth  Lansing  (now  Bratt 

Judick    Marselis    (wife   of 
Lucas  Lucasy), 

Andries  Hans  Huyck, 

Catryn  Andries  (a  Yan  Yal- 
kenburgh  his  wife). 


Cornelia  Tys  (Goes?), 
Geertruy     Jans     Witbeck 

(now  wife  of  Barent  Ger- 

ritsen), 
Marretje  Hendericks  (now 

Schermerhorn), 
Ariaantje  Gerrits, 
Lyntje   Winne    (now   Wit- 

beek), 
Lysbeth  Rosenboom    (now 

Yan  Deusen), 
Johanna  Bratt  (now  Kete- 

luyn), 
Henderikje  Yan  Schoonho- 

ven  (now  Poppi), 
Ariaantje    Yan    Schoonho- 

ven, 
Frans  Pieters  Clauw, 
Elsje  Fransen  Clauw, 
Adam  Dingman, 
Geertje  Martens, 
Geertruy  Ten  Broeck  (now 

Schuyler), 
Anna  de  Peyster, 
Annetje  Gerrits, 
Eytje  Pieters, 
Caatje  Bleycker  (now  Cuy- 

ler), 
Eva  Yinhagel  (now  Beek- 

man), 
Willem  Jacobs  (Yan  Deu- 
sen), 
James  Willet, 
Maria  Wendell, 
Abraham  Kip, 
Henderick  Greefradt, 


76 


Johannes  Prnyn, 

Jan  Jans  Post, 

Johannes  Bratt, 

Huybert  Gerrits, 

Rnt  Mel  cherts, 

Cornells  Gerrits, 

Anna  Sanders, 

Maria  Van  Renssalaer  (now 

Schuyler), 
Jacomyntje  Yile, 
May  ken   Oothout   (wife    of 

Thomas  Harmensen,  Jr.?) 
Coatje  Melcherts  (Van  der 

Poel  ?  now  Witbeck), 
Jannetje  Cobus, 
Rachel  Melcherts  (Van  der 

Poel  ?), 
Cornelia  Coljer, 
Catarine  Van   Allen   (now 

Van  der  Poel), 
Nelletje  Qnakelbosch, 
Francyntje  Hendericks, 
Geertruy  Hogenboom, 
Neeltje  Slingerlandt, 
Engletje  Lives, 
Geertruy  Jans, 
Margriet  Brickers, 
Susanna  Lansing, 
Her  men  Rutgers, 
Cornelia  Van  Vreedenburch 

(now  Van  Yselsteyn), 
Hester  Davids, 
Weyntje  Fransen  (Clauw?), 
Judick  (Jans)  Van  Housen, 
Henderick  Van  Renssalaer, 


Joseph  Jans, 
Jan  Fondaas, 
Marretje  Van  Petten   (now 

Van  Allen), 
Catelyntje  Van  Petten  (now 

Van  Vechten), 
Margaret  Hans   (now   Vis- 

scher), 
Henderick  Van  Dyck, 
Abraham  Schuyler, 
Cornelia  Van  Olinda, 
Arieentje  Vanderheyden. 

On  July  nth,  1690,  the  fol- 
lowing Indians : 
Paulus, 
Laurens, 
Maria. 

On  October  22d,  1691,  the 
following  Indians : 
David, 
Rebecca, 
Lydia. 

At  the  same  time  the  fol- 
lowing persons : 
Sarah  Harmens  (Visscher), 
Marretje  Gerrits, 
Jannetje  Blyker, 
Marretje  Vanhagel, 
Anna  Coster. 

On  March  24th,  1692,  the 
following  Indians: 
Isak, 
Rachel, 
Rebecca, 
Eunice, 


77 


At  the  same  time  the  fol- 
lowing persons  : 

Meindert  Schuyler, 

Jacobus  Van  Dyck, 

Johannes  Rykman, 

Willem  Van  Allen, 

Tammus  Noxen, 

Luthers  Jans  (Witbeck), 

Andries  Douw, 

Pieter  Lucas  Koeyman, 

Debora  Staats   (now  Rose- 
boom), 

Elsje  Rutgers  (now  Schuy- 
ler), 

Maria  Banker, 

Anna  Gansevoort, 

Christina  Ten  Broek, 

Antje  Van  der  Heyden, 

Marietje  Pruyn  (wife  of  El- 
bert Gerretsen, 

Rachel  Cuyler  (now  Schuy- 
ler), 

Tryntje  Rykman    (now 
Breese), 

Marritje  Lookerman  (now 
Fonda), 

Marritje     Bogardus     (now 
Van  Vechten), 

Grietje  Takel, 

Barbar  Jans  (wife  of  Gerrit 
Rikse), 

Elsje  Wendell  (now  Staats), 

Jannetje      Oothout      (Van 
Schaack). 
September  17th,  1692. 

Canastasji  (Indian), 


Gerrit  Rosenboom, 
Pieter  Verbriigge, 
Stephanus  Groesbeeck. 
December  23d,  1692. 
Henderik  (Indian). 

April  13th,  1693. 
Antoni  Coster, 
Johannes      Gerrits      (Van 

Vechten), 
Marten  Winn  en, 
Melchert  Vanderpoel, 
Elizabeth  Kreigir, 
Tryntje  Wendell  (now  Mil- 

lington), 
Neeltje  Schermerhorn  (now 

Ten  Eyck), 
Elizabeth  Ten  Broek  (now 

Coster), 
Catrine  Nack, 
Geertruy  Van   Benthuysen 

(now  Becker), 
Maria  Van  derPoel  (of  Neo- 

borum), 
Cornells  (Indian), 
Claas  Jans. 

October  25th,  1693. 
Johannes   Harmens     (Vis- 

scher), 
Moeset  (Indian), 
Marta        do. 
Sara  do. 

Jose  do. 

April  6th,  1694. 
Pieter  Hogenboom, 
Johannes  Kip, 
Jacobus  Van  Schoonhoven, 


7$ 


Geertruy  Yan  Schoonhoven 
Jecomintye  Van  Schoonho 

ven  (now  Van  Deusen), 
Geertje  Willems, 
Anna  Bogardus, 
Lydia  Ten  Broek, 
Lysbeth  Slingerlandt, 
Christine  Pruyn, 
Catelyntje  Schuyler  (now 

Abeel), 
Susanna  Wendell, 
Claartje  Brott, 
Elsje  Hans, 
Jannetje  Swart  (now  Van 

der  Zee), 
Alida  Fondaas  (now  Van 

Vechten), 
Hester  Fondas  (  wife  of  John 

Dircksen), 
Lysbeth  Jans,  ^ 

Geertje  Quakelbosch  (now 

Groesbeck). 

July  6th,  1694. 
Gideon  (Indian), 
Alida  do. 

December  26th,  1694. 
Neeltje  Van  Bergen  (now 

Douw), 
Dirk  Van  der  Hey  den, 
David  Schuyler, 
Margriet  (Indian), 
Eva  do. 

Maria  do. 

Elsje  do. 


,  January  20th,  1695,  of  Kin- 
derhook. 
Arieentje  Barents   (wife  of 

Pieter  Martens), 
Robbert  Teuwis  (Van  Deu- 

sen), 
Johannes  Van  Allen. 

March  21st,  1695. 
Thomas  Harmens  (Hun  ?), 
Hendrick  Hans, 
Tarn  Williams, 
Agneetje   Gansevoort   (his 

wife), 
Frans  Winne, 

Elsje  Gansevoort  (Winnen) 
Claas  Sivers, 
Albert  Rykman, 
Gerrit  Ryks, 

Rachel  Winne  (of  Schenec- 
tady), 
Hendrik  Pruyne, 
Tryntje   Cornelis    (wife   of 

Pieter  Waldron), 
Sara  Foreest, 
Claartje  Quakelbosch  (wife 

of  Dirk  1  akelsen), 
Annetje  Hogenboom, 
Rachel  Slingerlandt, 
Maria  Wendell, 
Dewertje  Van  Petten, 
Anna  Van  Petten   (wife  of 

Claas  Siversend), 
Daniel  Bratt, 
Pieter  (Indian), 
Joseph       do. 
Tierk  do. 


79 


Agniet  (Indian), 
Lea  do. 

Susanna      do. 

December  25tli,  1695. 
Cornells  Bogardus, 
Brant  (Indian), 
Jacob         do. 

Jannar}^  22d,  1696. 
Jan  Teuwis  ( Van  Deusen), 
Harriet je  (Van  Deusen), 
Laurens  Claas  (Van  Schaick, 
Catelyntje  Teuwis, 
Jannetje  Jochums  (wife  of 

Isaac  Jans). 

April  9th,  1696. 
Myndert  Rosenboom, 
Abram  Lansing, 
Catrine  Staat  (now  Schayk) 
Saartje  Brats  (wife  of  Rey- 

nier  Mynderts). 
Anna  Glen  (now  Wendell), 
Maria  Salisbury, 
May  ken  Van  Escli  (now 

Wendell), 
Margreetje  Pells, 
Saartje  Van  Deusen, 

June  26th,  1696. 
Antonio  (Indian), 
Dorcas  do. 

Barent  do. 

Catrine        do. 

September  18th,  1696. 
Johannes  (Indian), 
Arent  do. 

April  1st,  1697. 
Mayken  Van  Esch  (nowOu- 

derkerck). 


Annetje  Schaats, 
Margariet  Ryks, 
Elizbeth      Lansing      (now 

Groesbeck), 
Susanna      Wendell      (now 

Wy  ngaard ), 
Margriet  Schuyler  (now  Li- 
vingston), 
Catrena  Van  Schayk  (now 

Quakenbosch). 

December  '^Tth,  1697. 
Sara  Van  Allen. 

January  13th,  1698. 
Guysbert  Scharp, 
Hendrik  Jans  (Witbeck), 
Sara  Jans  (Witbeck), 
Marritje  Jans  (Witbeck). 

April  21st,  1698. 
Hagar  (Indian), 
Jacomine  do. 
Luycas  Lucas   (Van  Hoog- 

kerke), 
Solomon  Cornels  Van  Vech- 

ten), 
Hasuera  Marselis, 
Mars  Ryks, 
Harman  Rykman, 
Robbert  Levingston,  Jr., 
Margriet  Levingston, 
Margriet  Van  Trigt, 
Margriet  Blyker, 
Margriet  Harmens, 
Catelina      Wendell      (now 

Schuyler), 
Neeltje  Gerrits, 
Dirkje  Winne, 
Sara  Marselis, 


80 


Marritje  Eoelofs  (Kidni), 

Helena  Pruyn, 

Lammertje  Lokerman  (Oot- 

hout). 
January  8th,   1699,  from 
Kinderhook. 

Est  Van  Allen, 

Stephenas  Van  Allen, 

Manuel  Van  Schaack, 

Lysbeth  Arnoutse  Van  Eli. 
April  6th,  1699. 

Reyer  Gerrits, 

Jacobus  Schuyler, 

Andries  Nack, 

Hendrick  Douw, 

Jan  Jans  Van  Aarnen, 

Wouter  Quakelbosch  (mar- 
ried Cornelia,  da.  of  Law- 
rence Bogert), 

Matthyse  Nak, 

Maria  Verplank, 

Geertje  Gerrits  (Van  den 
Bergh), 

Lysbeth  Gansevoort, 

Margriet  Rykman, 


Lysbeth  Viele  (from  Neobo- 

rum), 
Helena  Fonda, 
Antje  Quakelbosch, 
Josina  Maas  (Van  Buren  ?), 
Hillitje  Gansevoort, 
Maria  Quakelbosch, 
Neeltje  Marinus, 
Rachel  Douw, 
Cornelia  Quakelbosch, 
Anna  Pruyn, 
Canastasji  (Indian). 

September  8th,  1699. 
Jonathan  Braadhorst. 

January  5th,  1700. 
Susanna  Wendells. 

May  8th,  1700. 
Claes  Fonda, 
Daniel  Winnen, 
Isack  Ouderkerck, 
Lysbet  Wendell, 
Mary  Ingolsbie, 
Rachel  Bogardus, 
Susanna  Trujex. 


81 


NOTE  F. 
Petitions  for  the  Incorporation  of  the  Dutch  Church. 

To  the  HonbP  Peter  Schuyler  Esqr  President  and  the 
Rest  of  his  Majesties  Council  of  the  province  of  New 
York  and  the  Territories  depending  thereon  in  Ame- 
rica. 

The  Humble  Petition  of  Pefcrus  van  Driesen  Minister 
of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Congregation  in  the 
City  of  Albany  Joannis  Cuyler  Joannis  Rooseboom 
Hendrick  van  Renslaer  Willem  Jacobse  van  Deusen 
present  Elders  for  the  same  and  Rutgert  Bleecker  Yol- 
kert  van  Veghten  Myndert  Roseboom  and  Dirk  Ten 
Broek  present  Deacons  of  the  said  Church.  Most  Hum- 
bly Sheweth. 

That  the  said  Minister  Elders  and  Deacons  and  other 
the  members  in  Communion  of  the  said  Reformed  Pro- 
testant Dutch  Church  have  at  their  own  charge  built  and 
erected  a  Church  within  the  city  of  Albany  and  dedi- 
cated the  same  to  the  service  of  God,  and  have  allso 
purchased  Certain  two  Tenements  and  Lotts  of  ground 
for  a  Poor  or  alms  house  and  for  a  minister's  dwelling 
house;  and  sundry  other  small  Tracts  of  Land  within  the 
said  City  the  Rents  and  incomes  whereof  are  by  them 
(as  they  were  allso  by  their  Predecessors  since  they  were 
Possessed  of  them)  employed  for  the  relief  of  the  Poor 
and  other  Persons  and  charitable  uses.  And  the  Peti- 
tionrs  further  say  that  they  and  their  predecessors  have 
for  many  yeares  before  this  Province  was  under  the 
Government  of  the  Crown  of  great  Brittain  and  ever 
sinse  Peaceably  and  quietly  had  and  enjoyed  the  full  and 
free  Exercise  of  the  Protestant  Religion  in  the  Dutch 
Language  according  to  the  Cannons  Rules  Institucons 
and  Church  Government  Established  by  the  Nationall 
11 


82 

Synod  held  and  assembled  in  the  City  of  Dort  in  Hol- 
land in  the  year  1618  and  1619. 

And  the  Petitionrs  humbly  conceive  and  are  advised 
that  they  and  their  Successors  would  be  the  better  ena- 
bled to  employ  the  Rents  and  incomes  of  the  Lands  and 
Tenement  aforesaid  for  Pious  and  Charitable  uses  if  they 
were  incorporated  as  some  other  of  the  Protestant  re- 
formed Dutch  Churches  in  this  Province  are. 

They  therefore  most  Humbly  Pray  yor  Honors  that 
the  Peticonrs  and  their  Successors  may  be  Incorporated 
by  Letters  Patent  under  the  great  seal  of  this  Province 
with  such  or  the  like  Priviledges  and  Liberties  as  are 
granted  to  the  Ministers  Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  Re- 
formed Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  City  of  New 
York  and  that  the  said  Church  and  the  aforesaid  Tene- 
ments and  Lotts  of  ground  and  other  the  Tracts  and 
Parcells  of  Land  aforesaid  may  be  Confirmed  unto  them 
and  their  Successors  for  ever  under  such  moderat  Quit 
rent  as  unto  yor  Honors  shall  seem  meet. 

And  yor  Petitionrs  as  in  Duty  bound  shall  ever  Pray 
&c —  Petrus  Van  Dkiesen 

V  D  M 

Nomine  Synodij. 

New  York  3^  day  of  August  1720. 

To  the  Honble  Peter  Schuyler  Esqr  President  and  the 
Rest  of  his  Majesties  Councill  of  the  Province  of 
New  York  and  the  Territories  depending  thereon  in 
America. 

The  Humble  Petition  of  Petrus  van  Driesen  Minister 
of  the  Dutch  Protestant  Congregacon  in  the  City  of 
Albany  Joannis  Cuyler  Joannis  Roseboom  Hendrik  van 
Renselaer  and  Willem  Jacobse  van  Driesen  the  present 
Elders,  Rutgert  Bleeker  Yolckert  van  Yegten  Myndert 
Roseboom  and  Dirk  ten  Broeck  the  present  Deacons  of 
the  same — Most  Humbly  Sheweth 


83 

That  yor  Petitionrs  did  lately  most  humbly  pray  yor 
Honors  to  grant  unto  them  and  their  Successors  Letters 
Pattent  under  the  Great  Seal  of  this  Province  for  incor- 
porating them  with  such  and  the  like  Priviledges  and 
Liberties  as  heretofore  granted  to  the  Reformed  protest- 
ant  Dutch  Church  in  the  City  of  New  York  together 
with  a  Confirmation  of  all  such  Lands  and  Tenements  as 
they  now  hold  to  and  for  the  use  of  the  said  Congrega- 
con — 

But  so  it  is  may  it  please  yor  Honors  that  one  Mr 
Hendrik  Hansen  of  the  City  of  Albany  has  entered  a 
Caveat  against  the  passing  of  the  said  Patent  under  pre- 
tence that  the  Dutch  Church  erected  in  the  Cit}^  of 
Albany  is  built  on  some  part  of  the  ground  belonging 
to  the  said  Mr  Hansen,  and  altho  yor  Petitionrs  can 
easily  make  appear  that  the  said  pretence  is  groundless 
and  only  make  up  of  by  the  said  Hansen  to  delay  yor 
Petitionrs  in  the  Presenting  and  obtaining  of  the  said 
Patent. 

They  therefore  most  Humbly  Pray  that  for  the  Re- 
moving of  all  difficultyes  and  objections  that  may  be 
raised  against  the  passing  of  the  said  Patent  a  Clause 
may  be  inserted  in  the  Same  to  save  the  Right  and  Title 
of  all  manner  of  persons  to  the  Lands  and  Tenements  or 
any  part  thereof  which  the  Petitionrs  by  their  former 
petition  did  Humbly  pray  to  be  Confirmed  unto  them 
and  their  Successors. 

And  yor  Petitionrs  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  Pray 
&c.  Petrus  Van  Driesen 

V  D  M 
Nomine  Sijnodeii. 

New  York  6th  Aug  1720 


84 


Act  of  Incokporation. 

George  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  Great  Britain, 
France  and  Ireland,  defender  of  the  faith,  &c.,  to  all  to 
whom  these  presents  shall  come  or  may  concern,  send- 
eth  greeting:  Whereas  our  loving  subjects  the  Rev. 
Petrus  Van  Driessen,  Johannes  Cuyler,  Johannes  Roose- 
boom,  Henrych  Van  Rensselaer,  William  Jacobse  Van 
Deusen,  Rutgert  Bleecker,  Volkert  Van  Veghten,  Myn- 
dert  Rooseboom  and  Dirck  Tienbroock,  the  present 
ministers,  elders  and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Protest- 
ant Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of  Albany,  in  our  pro- 
vince of  New  York,  by  their  humble  petition  presented 
to  our  trusty  and  well  beloved  Colonel  Peter  Schuy- 
ler, president  of  our  council  for  our  province  of  New 
York,  in  council  have  set  forth  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Albany,  descended  of  Dutch  ancestors,  have  from 
the  first  settlement  of  this  province  by  Christians, 
hitherto  held,  used  and  enjoyed  the  free  and  undis- 
turbed exercise  of  their  religion  and  worship  in  the 
Dutch  language,  after  the  manner  of  the  established 
Reformed  Protestant  religion  in  Holland,  according 
to  the  common  rules,  institutions  and  church  go- 
vernment of  the  national  synod  of  Dort,  in  Holland, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  Christ  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  eighteen,  and  one  thousand  six  hundred  and 
nineteen.  And  that  the  said  minister,  elders  and  dea- 
cons, and  their  ancestors  and  predecessors,  at  their  own 
charge  and  expense,  erected,  built  and  hitherto  main- 
tained a  church  within  the  city  of  Albany  aforesaid,  and 
have  dedicated  the  same  to  the  service  and  worship  of 
Almighty  God,  situate,  lying  and  being  on  the  high  street 
commonly  called  Yonkers  street,  nigh  the  bridge  in  the 
city  of  Albany,  containing  in  length  on  the  south  side 
thereof  seven  rod,  three  foot  four  inches,  on  the  north 
side  seven  rod  three  foot  one  inch,  Ryland  measure,  and 


85 

in  breadth  on  the  east  and  west  ends,  sixty-one  foot  and 
five  inches,  wood  measure.  And  are  now  not  only  quietly 
and  peaceably  seized  and  possessed  of  their  said  church, 
but  are  likewise  seized  of  sundry  other  demesnes  to 
and  for  their  sole  and  only  proper  use  and  behoof  of 
their  said  church  and  congregation,  that  is  to  say,  one 
certain  messuage  or  tenement  and  lot  of  ground  in  the 
aforesaid  city  of  Albany  commonly  called  the  Dutch 
minister's  house,  situate,  lying  and  being  in  the  Brew- 
er's street,  on  the  east  side  thereof,  in  the  third  ward  of 
the  said  city,  being  in  front  from  the  southward  to 
the  northward  five  rod  ten  inches,  and  biehind  toward 
Hudson's  river,  six  rod  fifteen  inches,  Ryland  measure, 
and  in  length  from  the  said  street  to  the  city  stockadoes, 
bounded  on  the  south  side  by  Jan  Solomans,  and  on  the 
north  side  by  that  of  the  late  Hans  Hendry cks  and  the 
widow  of  David  Schuyler.  Also  one  other  certain  mes- 
suage or  tenement  and  lot  of  ground,  situate,  lying  and 
being  in  the  city  aforesaid  commonly  called  poor  house 
or  alms  house,  in  the  first  ward  of  the  said  city,  bound- 
ed on  the  south  by  the  high  street  that  leads  to  the 
burying  place  to  the  north  of  Rutten  kill,  and  to  the 
east  of  Harman  Rutgers,  and  to  the  west  by  the  lot  of 
Garryt  Bancker,  containing  in  breadth  towards  the 
street  that  leads  to  the  Lutheran  church  by  the  said 
Rutten  kill,  six  rod  one  foot  and  the  like  breadth  in  the 
rear,  and  in  length  on  the  east  side,  eight  rod  and  two 
inches,  all  Ryland  measure.  Also  that  certain  parcel 
of  land  commonly  called  and  known  by  the  name  of 
the  pasture,  situate,  lying  and  being  to  the  southward 
of  the  city  of  Albany,  near  the  place  where  the  old  fort 
stood,  extending  along  Hudson's  river,  till  it  comes 
over  against  the  most  northerly  point  of  the  island  com- 
monly called  Marten  Gerrytsen's  island,  having  to  the 
east  Hudson's  river,  to  the  south  the  manor  of  Rensse- 
laerswyck,  to  the  west  the  highway  that  leads  to  the  city 


86 

aforesaid,  the  pastures  now  or  late  in  the  tenure  and  oc- 
cupation of  Martin  Gerrytsen,  and  the  pasture  now  or  late 
in  the  tenure  and  occupation  of  Casper  Jacobs,  to  the  north 
the  several  pastures  late  in  the  tenure  and  occupation  of 
Robert  Saunders,  Myndert  Harmans  and  Evert  Wendell, 
and  the  several  gardens  late  in  the  occupation  of  Dirck 
Wessells,  Killian  Van  Rensselaer  and  Abraham  Staats, 
together  with  the  old  highway  from  Beaver  kill  to  the 
end  of  Schermerhorn's  pasture,  adjoining  to  the  same  on 
the  west  side  thereof.  Also  that  certain  parcel  of  pasture 
land  situate,  lying,  and  being  to  the  southward  of  the 
said  city,  and  to  the  westward  of  the  before  mentioned 
pasture,  near  and  about  the  limits  of  the  said  city  on 
the  manor  of  Rensselaerswyck,  containing  in  breadth 
along  the  wagon  wa}^,  six  and  twenty  rod,  and  in  length 
towards  the  woods  eight  and  twenty  rod,  and  in  breadth 
towards  the  woods  twenty-five  rod.   And^also  all  that  cer- 
tain garden  lot  of  ground,  situate,  lying  and  being  in  the 
great  pasture,  containing  in  the  breadth  six  rod  and  five 
foot,  and  in  length  eight  rod  and  two  foot,  and  stretch- 
ing backwards  with  another  small  lot  of  three  rod  and 
two  foot  in  length,  and  in  breadth  one  rod  and  two  foot 
Ryland  measure;  praying  that  they  may  by  charter  or 
patent  under  the  great  seal   of  the  province  of  New 
York,  be  incorporated  and  made  one  body  politic  in  fact 
and  name,  and  that  they  and  their  successors  forever 
hereafter,  may  not  only  be  enabled  to  use,  exercise  and 
enjoy  their  aforesaid  privileges,  and   the  free  use  and 
exercise  of  their  said  religion  and  worship  in  manner 
aforesaid,  by  the  name  and  style  of  the  ministers,  elders 
and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church, 
in  the  city  of  Albany,  with  such  other   liberties   and 
privileges  as  have  been  formerly  granted  to  other  Re- 
formed Protestant  Dutch  churches  within  the  province 
of  New  York,  with  variations,  additions  and  commis- 
sions, as  long  usage  and  experience  has  taught  them  to 


87 

be  most  agreeable  to  their  well  being  and  circumstances, 
but  also  the  grant  and  confirmation  of  all  those  their 
said  inheritances  and  demesnes,  to  hold  to  them,  the  said 
minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Protest- 
ant Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of  Albany  and  to  their 
successors  and  assigns  for  ever.  We  being  willing  to 
encourage  and  promote  the  said  pious  intentions  and 
the  free  use  and  exercise  of  their  said  reformed  pro- 
testant  religion,  to  the  same  congregation  and  their 
successors  for  ever,  in  the  said  city  of  Albany,  know 
ye,  that  of  our  especial  grace,  certain  knowledge,  and 
meer  motion,  we  have  given,  granted,  ratified,  and 
confirmed  and  do  by  these  presents  for  us,  our  heirs, 
and  successors  for  ever,  give,  grant,  ratify,  and  confirm 
unto  all  the  inhabitants  of  Albany,  so  as  aforesaid 
descended  of  Dutch  ancestors,  and  professing  the  said 
reformed  protestant  religion,  and  to  their  successors 
for  ever,  the  free  use  and  exercise  of  their  worship, 
doctrine,  discipline  and  church  government,  according 
to  the  canons,  rules,  institutions  and  directions  of  the 
Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  Holland,  insti- 
tuted and  approved  by  the  National  Synod  of  Dort,  and 
that  no  person  nor  persons  whatsoever  in  communion  of 
the  said  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  Albany 
aforesaid,  or  at  any  time  or  times  hereafter,  shall  be 
molested,  disquieted,  or  disturbed  in  the  free  use  and  ex- 
ercise of  their  said  religion  and  worship,  they  behaving 
themselves  peaceably,  and  not  abusing  this  liberty  to 
licentiousness,  profaneness,  and  the  civil  injury  or  out- 
ward disturbance  of  the  National  Church  of  England, 
as  by  law  established,  or  other  reformed  protestant 
churches  in  the  aforesaid  city  of  Albany.  And  to  the 
end  the  same  liberties  and  privileges  be  hereafter  for 
ever  supported,  maintained,  and  continued  to  them  and 
their  successors  for  ever,  we  of  our  especial  grace, 
certain  knowledge  and  meer  motion,  do  likewise  will 


88 

and  grant  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors  for  ever, 
unto  the  same  Petrus  Van  Driessen,  the  present  minis- 
ter of  the  same  congregation  at  Albany,  Johannes 
Roseboom,  Henryck  Van  Eensselaer,  and  William 
Jacobse  Van  Deusen,  the  present  elders  of  the  same 
church,  and  unto  Rutgert  Bleecker,  Volkert  Van 
Veghten,  Myndert  Roseboom,  and  Dirk  Tienbroock,  the 
present  deacons  of  the  same  church,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Albany  communicants  of  the  said  church,  that 
they  be  as  they  are  hereby  created  and  made  one  body 
corporate  and  politick  in  fact  and  name,  by  the  name 
of  the  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the  Reformed 
Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of  Albany,  and 
that  they  and  their  successors  for  ever,  shall  and  may 
by  that  name  have  perpetual  succession,  and  be  able  and 
capable  in  the  law  to  sue  and  be  sued,  plead  and  be  im- 
pleaded, answer  and  be  answered  unto,  defend  and  be 
defended,  in  all  and  singular  suit,  quarrels,  controver- 
sies, difierences,  strifes,  matters  and  things  whatsoever, 
and  in  all  courts  whatsoever,  either  in  law  or  equity,  of 
what  kind  soever,  as  also  by  the  same  name,  to  have, 
hold,  take,  receive,  be  seized  of,  possess  and  enjoy  to 
them  and  their  successors  for  ever  their  said  church, 
parsonage  or  minister's  dwelling-house,  alms-house, 
and  other  their  demesnes  or  inheritances,  by  fee  simple, 
before  mentioned,  and  such  other  demesnes  or  inherit- 
ances to  purchase  and  acquire  to  them  and  their  succes- 
sors and  assigns  forever,  and  by  the  same  name,  the  same 
lands,  hereditaments  and  appurtenances,  or  any  part  of 
them  (excepting  only  the  same  church);  to  alienate, 
bargain,  sell,  grant,  demise,  sell  and  to  farm  let  to  any 
other  person,  or  persons,  body  corporate  and  politic, 
whatsoever  at  their  will  and  pleasure,  in  fee  simple  for 
life,  or  lives,  or  for  term  of  years,  as  to  them  shall  seem 
most  convenient  and  profitable,  as  any  other  person  or 
persons,  body  corporate  or  politic,  may  or  can  do,  not 


89 

exceeding  the  yearly  value  of  three  hundred  pounds 
over  and  al  ove  what  they  now  stand  seized  and  pos- 
sessed, or  for  the  comraoa  use  and  benefit  of  the  same 
Dutch  Church  and  of  all  the  members  of  the  same  con- 
gregation. And  we  do  further  will  and  grant  that  the 
minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the  same  church,  for 
the  time  being,  for  ever  hereafter,  be  the  consistory  of 
the  same  church,  and  shall  and  may  have,  keep  and  use 
a  common  seal  to  serve  for  all  grants,  matters  and 
things  whatsoever  belonging  to  the  same  corporation, 
with  such  device  or  contrivance  thereon  as  they  or  their 
successors  for  ever  shall  think  fit  to  appoint,  with  full 
power  to  break,  new  make  and  alter  the  same  at  their 
w411  and  discretion;  and  the  same  consistory  shall  have 
and  enjoy  the  like  powers  and  privileges  as  a  Dutch  con- 
sistory in  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  Hol- 
land do,  or  may  or  ought  to  use  and  enjoy.  And  we  do 
will  and  grant  that  the  same  Petrus  Van  Driessen  be  the 
first  minister  of  the  said  church  at  i  he  time  of  this  our 
grant,  and  the  same  Johannes  Cuy^er,  Johannes  Rose- 
boom,  Henry ck  Van  Rensselaer  and  William  Jacobse 
Van  Deusen,  be  the  first  elders  of  the  said  church  at 
the  time  of  this  our  grant ;  and  that  the  same  Rutgert 
Bleecker,  Volkert  Van  Veghten,  Myndert  Roseboom, 
and  Dirk  Tienbroock,  be  the  first  deacons  of  the  said 
church  at  the  time  of  this  our  grant,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,-  and  that  the  said  ministers,  together  with  the 
said  four  elders  and  four  deacons,  or  the  minister,  el- 
ders and  deacons  for  the  time  being,  and  the  major  num- 
bers of  them  whereof  the  minister  for  the  time  being 
always  to  be  one — be  the  consistory  of  the  said  church, 
and  have  and  shall  have  full  power  and  authority, 
at  all  time  and  times  for  ever  hereafter,  to  act  in  all 
their  church  affairs  and  business,  by  majority  of  voices, 
in  as  full  and  ample  manner  as  if  the  minister  and 
all  the  said  four  elders  and  four  deacons  were  person- 
12 


90 

ally  present  and  did  actually  and  severally  give  their 
votes.  But  in  case  of  the  death,  absence  or  re- 
moval of  their  said  minister,  then,  and  in  any  of 
these  cases,  the  elders  and  deacons  of  the  same  church, 
for  the  time  being,  or  the  major  number  of  them, 
whereof  the  first  elder  in  nomination  we  will  always 
to  be  one,  and  shall  preside,  shall  have,  use  and 
exercise  all  the  power  and  authorities  of  a  consistory 
to  all  intents  and  purposes,  and  shall  manage  and  order 
the  church  affairs  in  as  full  and  ample  manner  as  if  their 
said  minister  were  alive,  present  and  consenting  there- 
unto, any  thing  in  these  presents  to  the  contrary  there- 
of in  any  wise  notwithstanding.  And  we  will  and 
grant  that  the  same  elders  and  deacons  continue  in 
their  respective  offices  until  the  next  anniversary 
election.  And  the  said  elders  and  their  successors,  for 
ever  hereafter,  have  and  shall  have  the  full  power  and 
authority  of  receiving  and  paying  the  moneys  given 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  minister  or  ministry  of  the 
same  church,  whether  the  same  arise  by  legacy,  donation 
or  voluntary  contributions  or  collection  from  the  inhabit, 
ants  or  members  of  the  same  congregation,  and  are  to 
keep  exact  and  true  accounts  to  the  consistor}^,  when 
thereunto  by  them  required.  And  that  the  said  deacons 
and  their  successors  for  ever  hereafter,  have  and  shall 
have  the  sole  power  and  authority  of  receiving  and 
paying  all  the  moneys  collected  and  offered  at  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Holy  Sacrament  of  our  Lord's  Sup- 
per, and  in  church  in  the  times  of  divine  service  of 
preaching,  for  the  maintainance  of  the  poor,  and  are  to 
keep  and  render  exact  and  true  accounts  thereof  to  the 
consistory  aforesaid,  when  thereunto  by  them  required, 
which  election  of  the  same  elders  and  deacons  of  the  same 
church  is  to  be  at  Albany  on  every  second  Saturday  of 
December,  annually,  forever,  by  majority  of  voices,  of 
the  consistory,  in  the  manner  following :  That  is  to  say, 


91 

on  each  second  Saturday  of  December,  annnall}^  for  ever 
at  Albany,  shall  be  chosen  two  new  elders  and  two  new 
deacons,  who,  together  with  the  two  elders  and  two 
deacons  last  in  nomination  in  this  our  charter,  shall 
serve  for  the  year  ensuing  in  their  respective  offices, 
and  for  ever  thereafter,  the  two  new  ones  shall  be 
chosen  and  added  to  the  younger  two  elders  and  dea- 
cons of  the  preceding  year,  so  always  as  to  preserve 
the  number  of,  four  elders  and  four  deacons  of  the 
said  church.  And  moreover  we  do  will  and  grant 
unto  the  said  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the 
Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of 
Albany,  and  to  their  successors  for  ever,  that  on 
the  second  Saturday  of  December  next,  and  on  every 
second  Saturday  of  December  annually  forever  here- 
after at  Albany,  shall  be  elected  and  chosen  four  dis- 
creet persons  by  the  majority  of  voices  of  the  consistory 
aforesaid,  to  be  kirkmasters  of  the  said  church,  whose 
office  and  charge  is  and  shall  be  to  build  and  re- 
pair the  same  church  and  cemetery,  parsonage,  alms- 
house, and  all  other  the  hereditaments  and  appurten- 
ances to  the  said  church  belonging,  and  to  have  the  or- 
dering and  direction  of  the  pews  and  seats  in  the  said 
church,  and  the  breaking  of  the  ground  in  the  cemetery 
for  burying  of  the  dead,  and  shall  have  and  receive  all 
the  rents  and  revenues  of  the  said  church,  coming  there- 
from or  from  any  other  of  the  said  church's  inheritances; 
also  the  payments  of  all  sum  and  sums  of  money  laid 
out  and  expended,  or  to  be  laid  out  and  expended,  in 
such  necessary  buildings  and  reparations  of  all  which 
the  said  kirkmasters  are  likewise  to  keep  and  surrender 
exact  and  true  accounts  to  the  said  consistory  aforesaid, 
two  of  which  four  kirkmasters  last  nominated,  at  the 
next  election  shall  continue  in  the  same  office  for  two 
years  and  two  new  ones  yearly  for  ever  hereafter,  to  be 
elected  and  chosen  to  serve  with  the  two  predecessors  in 


92 

like  manner  as  with  the  elders  and  deacons  aforesaid 
and  not  otherwise.  And  it  is  our  will  and  desire  that  the 
two  elders,  two  deacons  and  two  kirkmasters,  who  shall 
be  superseded  by  a  new  annual  election  of  two  others 
to  succeed  in  their  respective  places,  shall  account  and 
deliver  up  their  several  respective  charges  and  moneys 
to  their  successors  respectively,  if  any  thereof  be  in 
their  hands  and  possession,  respectively  in  public  man- 
ner. And  we  do  likewise  will  and  grant  that  the  said 
kirkmasters  shall  be  under  the  direction  of  the  said  con- 
sistory for  the  time  being.  And  in  case  there  shall  not 
be  enough  in  the  hands  either  of  the  elders,  deacons  or 
kirkmasters,  for  the  performing  and  finishing  of  any  of 
their  respective  charges  and  trust  of  their  particular 
respective  funds  before  mentioned,  which  they  be  here- 
by respectively  empowered  to  receive  and  manage,  that 
then  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  consis- 
tory aforesaid,  to  order  and  direct  the  lending  of  what 
sum  shall  be  necessary  out  of  any  of  the  aforesaid  funds 
towards  deficiency  of  any  other  of  the  said  fundS;  so 
that  there  be  no  failure  of  any  of  the  same  three  several 
charges  or  trusts  upon  any  unforeseen  contingency 
or  emergency.  And  we  do  likewise  will  and  grant 
that  in  all  elections  of  ofiicers  or  other  acts  or  orders 
of  the  consistory  the  minister  or  president  of  the  con- 
sistory shall  have  but  one  vote.  And  if  it  shall  happen 
there  be  an  equal  division  of  the  voices  or  votes,  so 
that  the  matter  or  thing  in  dispute  can  not  receive  the 
determination  of  a  majority  of  voices,  that  then  it  shall 
and  may  be  lawful  to  determine  the  same  by  lot,  leav- 
ing it  to  the  sole  wisdom  of  God  to  determine  the  same 
as  he  shall  think  fit.  And  we  do  likewise  will  and 
grant  that  it  shall  be  in  the  power  of  the  minister  of 
the  said  church,  for  the  time  being,  by  himself  or  in 
case  of  his  death,  absence  or  removal,  in  the  president 
or  first  elder  who  shall  preside  for  the  time  being,  or  in 


93 

the  power  of  the  major  number  of  the  whole  consistory 
for  the  time  being,  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  consistory 
for  the  good  and  service  of  the  said  church,  and  the 
affairs  of  the  said  corporation,  whensoever  they  shall 
see  meet  within  the  said  city  of  Albany;  and  in  case  it 
shall  please  God  that  any  of  the  said  elders,  deacons  and 
kirkmasters,  for  the  time  being,  shall  happen  to  die,  re- 
move, or  otherwise  be  disabled  from  serving  and  offi- 
ciating in  their  respective  offices,  within  the  year  for 
which  they  are  so  chosen  or  appointed  to  serve ;  we  do 
will  and  grant  that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  the 
consistory,  for  the  time  being,  to  assemble  and  meet  to- 
gether at  Albany,  at  any  other  time  of  the  year  than  the 
time  of  anniversary  election,  and  so  often  as  there 
shall  be  occasion  to  elect  and  choose  other  elders,  dea- 
cons and  kirkmasters  in  their  respective  rooms  and 
stead,  to  officiate  for  the  remaining  part  of  the  year  un- 
til the  next  anniversary  election;  which  person  or  per- 
sons so  chosen  as  aforesaid  into  any  of  the  aforesaid 
offices  of  elders,  deacons  or  kirkmasters,  shall  have 
like  power  and  authority  to  act  in  their  respective 
offices  as  if  they  had  been  elected  and  confirmed  at  the 
aforesaid  time  of  the  anniversary  election  aforesaid,  or  as 
if  the  same  persons  so  dying,  being  absent  or  otherwise 
disabled,  were  alive,  present  and  capable  to  do  the  same; 
and  we  do  will  and  grant  unto  the  said  minister,  elders 
and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church 
in  the  city  of  Albany,  and  to  their  successors  for  ever, 
the  advowson  and  patronage  of  the  said  church ;  (that 
is  to  say)  that  after  the  decease  of  the  aforesaid  Petrus 
Van  Driesseu,  or  next  and  all  other  avoidances  thereof, 
that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to. and  for  the  elders 
and  deacons  of  the  aforesaid  church  or  the  consistory 
of  the  aforesaid  church  and  their  successors  for  ever,  to 
present  and  call  another  minister  to  succeed  in  the  cure 
of  souls  in  the  aforesaid  church  and  congregation  of 


94 

the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of 
Albany,  provided  always  such  minister,  so  called  or  pre- 
sented by  them  to  the  said  living,  be  always  a  person 
amenable  to  the  laws  of  Great  Britain  and  this  Pro- 
vince, and  pay  due  obedience  and  allegiance  unto  us 
and  our  royal  heirs  and  successors,  the  kings  and 
queens  of  Great  Britain.  And  that  it  shall  and  may  be 
lawful  to  and  for  the  present  minister  or  incumbent  of 
the  said  church  and  his  succesors,  or  any  of  them  to 
have,  take,  receive  and  keep  for  his  end  and  their  own 
use  and  support,  that  maintenance  that  now  is  or  shall 
be  agreed  upon  between  him  or  them  and  the  said  con- 
sistory from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  hereafter. 
And  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  said 
elders  of  the  same  church,  and  their  successors  for  ever, 
to  collect  and  receive  the  voluntary  subscriptions  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Albany,  belonging  to  the  said  congre- 
gation, for  and  towards  the  payment  of  their  said  minis- 
ter, or  their  minister  for  the  time  being,  and  to  pay  and 
cause  to  be  paid  unto  the  said  minister  and  his  succes- 
sor, the  minister  of  the  said  church,  for  the  time  being, 
his  yearly  stipend  or  salary,  according  to  agreement, 
by  quarterly  even  payments  thereof,  or  otherwise,  as  it 
shall  be  agreed  upon  by  and  between  them,  the  said 
minister  of  the  said  church  and  the  aforesaid  consistory. 
And  we  do  will  and  grant  that  the  said  deacons  of  the 
said  church,  and  their  successors  for  ever  shall  and  may 
lawfully  and  peaceably,  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all 
times  hereafter,  at  the  meeting  of  the  said  congregation 
for  the  public  service  and  worship  of  Almighty  God,  to 
collect  and  receive  the  free  and  voluntary  alms  and  ob- 
lations of  the  meuibers  of  the  said  congregation,  and 
the  free  and  voluntary  offerings  made  by  the  communi- 
cants at  their  receiving  of  the  holy  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  for  the  uses  aforesaid,  and  to  dispose 
thereof  for    the  pious    and  charitable  uses   aforesaid. 


95 

And  we  do  will  and  grant  that  the  kirkmasters  afore- 
said, and  their  successors  for  ever,  shall  and  may  from 
time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  hereafter,  and  so  often  as  it 
shall  be  necessary,  shall  and  may  demise,  grant,  and  to 
farm  let,  of  the  demesnes  of  the  said  church,  demisable 
and  grantable  to  and  for  the  profit  and  advantage  of 
the  said  church,  and  receive  and  collect  the  rents  and 
revenues  arising  therefrom,  or  otherwise,  and  apply  the 
same  for  and  towards  the  buildings  and  reparations  of 
the  said  church  and  parsonage,  and  other  the  heredita- 
ments belonging  to  the  said  minister,  elders  and  deacons 
of  the  Eeformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of 
Albany,  and  such  other  uses  as  are  proper  and  necessary, 
provided  always  that  the  said  elders,  deacons  and  kirk- 
masters in  their  separate  oflices,  be  always  accountable 
to  and  under  the  direction  of  the  consistory  of  the  said 
church,  for  the  time  being  and  not  otherwise.  And  we 
do  further  will  and  grant  that  it  shall  and  may  be  in 
the  power  of  the  consistory  of  the  said  church, 
and  their  successors  for  ever,  if  they  shall  agree 
thereupon,  and  find  themselves  able  and  capable  of 
mantaining  him  at  any  time  or  times  hereafter,  to  nomi- 
nate and  call  one  or  more  able  and  sufiicient  minister, 
lawfully  ordained  according  to  the  constitution  afore- 
said, in  all  things  to  assist  and  officiate  in  the  ministry 
which  doth  belong  to  the  sacred  office  and  function  of 
a  minister  of  the  gospel  in  the  said  church,  provided 
always  that  there  be  no  pre-eminency  or  superiority  in 
that  office,  and  not  otherwise.  And  we  do  likewise  will 
and  grant  to  the  said  minister,  elders,  and  deacons  of 
the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of 
Albany,  and  their  successors  for  ever,  that  it  shall  and 
may  be  lawfull  to  and  for  the  consistory  of  the  said 
church,  to  nominate  and  appoint  a  clerk  or  precentor, 
schoolmaster,  sexton,  bellringer,  and  such  and  so  many 
other  offices  and  servants  of  the  same  church,  as  they 


96 

shall  think  convenient  and  necessary,  and  to  call  them, 
by  the  same  or  what  other  names  they  shall  think  fit. 
And  we  do  will  and  grant  that  it  shall  and  may  be  law- 
full  to  and  for  the  consistory  of  the  said  church,  and 
their  successors  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  here- 
after, to  make  rules,  orders,  and  ordinances  for  the 
better  discipline  and  government  of  the  said  church, 
jDrovided  always  that  such  rules,  orders  and  ordinances 
shall  not  be  binding,  nor  effect  any  other  of  our  reform- 
ed protesiaut  subjects  within  the  same  city,  then  the 
voluntary  members  of  their  said  congregation,  and  be  no 
w^ays  repugnant  to  our  laws  of  Great  Britain  and  of 
this  colony,  but  agreeable  to  the  articles  of  faith  and 
worship  agreed  upon  and  instituted  by  the  National 
Synod  at  Dort,  aforesaid.  And  further  of  our  especial 
grace,  certain  knowledge  and  meer  motion,  we  have 
given,  granted,  ratified,  and  confirmed  unto  the  afore- 
said minister,  elders,  and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Pro- 
testant Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of  Albany,  and  to  their 
successors  and  assigns  for  ever,  all  that  their  said  church 
and  ground  whereon  it  standeth,  their  said  parsonage 
or  minister's  dwelling  house,  with  its  hereditaments  and 
appurtenances  thereunto  belonging  or  any  ways  apper- 
taining, and  all  the  alms  house  or  poor  house  aforesaid, 
all  that  the  pasture  or  pastures,  and  all  other  the  pre- 
mises aforesaid,  together  with  all  and  singular  edifices, 
buildings,  gardens,  orchards,  backsides,  wells,  ways, 
hollows,  cellars,  passages,  privileges,  liberties,  profits, 
advantages,  hereditaments,  and  appurtenances  whatso- 
ever, to  all  and  every  of  them  belonging,  or  in  any  ways 
appertaining.  And  all  that  our  estate,  right,  title,  in- 
terest, property  and  demand  of,  into  or  out  of  the  same 
or  any  part  of  any  of  them,  and  the  revertions,  remain- 
ders, and  the  yearly  rents  and  profits  of  the  same,  saving 
only  the  right  and  title  of  any  other  person  or  persons, 
body  corporate  and  politick  whatsoever,  to  any  of  the 


97 

jDremises  hereby  granted,  or  meant,  mentioned,  and  in- 
tended to  be  hereby  granted,  or  to  any  of  them,  to  have 
and  to  hold,  all  that  their  said  church  and  ground,  par- 
sonage or  minister's  dwelling  house,  alms  house  or  poor 
house,  pasture  or  pastures,  and  all  and  singular  other 
the  premises  with  their  and  every  of  their  hereditaments 
and  appurtenances  unto  the  aforesaid  minister,  elders 
and  deaconsof  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in 
the  city  of  Albany,  their  successors  and  assigns  for  ever, 
to  the  sole  and  only  proper  use,  benefit  and  behoof  of 
the  aforesaid  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the  Re- 
formed Protestant  Dutch  Church,  in  the  city  of  Albany, 
and  their  successors  and  assigns  for  ever  (save  only  as 
before  is  saved  and  expressed),  to  be  holden  of  us,  our 
heirs  and  successors  for  ever,  free  and  common  soccage 
as  of  our  manor  of  East  Greenwich,  in  the  county  of 
Kent,  within  our  realm  of  Great  Britain,  yielding, 
rendering  and  paying  therefore,  yearly  and  every  year, 
for  ever  unto  us,  our  heirs  and  successors  for  ever,  at 
our  custom  house  in  New  York,  unto  our  and  their  re- 
ceiver general  for  the  time  being,  on  the  feast  day  of 
the  Annunciation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  commonly 
called  Lady  Da}^  the  annual  rent  of  one  pepper  corn,  if 
the  same  be  lawfully  demanded  in  lieu  and  stead  of  all 
other  rents,  services,  dues  and  duties  and  demands  what- 
soever, for  the  same  church  parsonage,  alms  house, 
pastures,  and  all  other  the  above  granted  premises,  with 
the  hereditaments  and  appurtenances.  And  we  do 
hereby  will  and  grant  unto  the  aforesaid  minister,  elders 
and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church 
in  the  city  of  Albany,  and  to  their  successors  for  ever, 
that  these  our  letters  shall  be  made  patent,  and  that 
they  and  the  record  of  them  remaining  in  our  secre- 
tary's office  of  our  province  of  New  York,  shall  be  good 
and  effectual  in  the  law  to  all  intents  and  purposes  w^hat- 
soever,  according  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of 
13 


98 

them,  and  shall  be  construed,  reputed,  esteemed  and 
adjudged  in  all  cases  most  favorable  for  the  benefit  and 
behoof  of  the  aforesaid  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of 
the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  city  of 
Albany  and  of  their  successors  forever,  notwithstanding 
the  not  true  and  well  reciting  of  the  premises,  or  of  the 
limits  and  bounds  of  any  of  them,  or  any  part  of  them, 
any  law  or  other  restraint,  uncertainty  or  imperfection 
whatsoever  to  the  contrary  thereof  in  any  way  notwith- 
standing. In  testimony  whereof  we  have  caused  the 
great  seal  of  our  province  of  New  York  to  be  af&xed  to 
these  presents,  and  the  same  to  be  entered  of  record  in 
one  of  the  books  of  patents  in  our  said  secretary's  office 
remaining.  Witness  our  said  trusty  and  well  beloved 
Colonel  Peter  Schuyler,  president  of  our  council  at  Fort 
George,  the  10th  day  of  August,  in  the  7th  year  of  our 
reign,  anno  domini  1720. 


Causes  and  History  of  the  Separation. 

A  brief  sketch  of  the  causes  and  history  of  the  sepa- 
ration may  be  interesting  to  the  reader. 

Up  to  1737,  the  churches  in  this  country  were  all 
connected  with  the  ecclesiastical  courts  in  Holland,  and 
were  under  their  jurisdiction.  The  inconveniences  of 
this  connection  now  began  to  be  seriously  felt,  and 
openly  discussed.  The  highest  church  court  here  was 
only  the  consistory,  consequently  there  could  be  no 
ordination  of  ministers.  All  candidates  were  obliged  to 
go  to  Holland  to  receive  ordination,  incurring  a  large 
expenditure  of  time  and  money.  No  case  of  disci- 
pline could  be  settled  here,  for  the  ultimate  tribunals 
were  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean.  Congregations 
were  a  long  time  without  pastors.  And  in  some  cases 
the  ministers  who  were  sent  out  from  Holland  were 
unsuitable  persons  for  the  churches  hei'e. 


99 

The  first  movement  was  the  formation  of  what  was 
called  a  coetus,  Avhich  was  a  body  formed  for  counsel 
and  fraternal  conference.  It  was  merely  an  advisory 
body,  and  had  no  legislative  powers.  They  applied  to 
the  classis  of  Amsterdam  to  sanction  their  organization, 
which  after  a  delay  of  nine  yesLYs  was  done  in  1747. 

It  was  however  found  tliat  this  body  was  powerless 
to  remove  the  evils  under  which  the  American  churches 
suffered,  by  reason  of  their  dependence  on  the  father- 
land, and  in  1754  it  was  formally  proposed  that  the 
coetus  should  be  made  a  regular  classis,  with  all  the 
powers  appropriately  belonging  to  such  a  court.  This 
was  bitterly  opposed  by  many  of  the  older  ministers, 
who  had  been  ordained  in  Holland,  and  who  looked 
upon  the  proposed  separation  as  treason  to  the  mother 
Church.  A  bitter  dispute  arose,  and  raged  for  fifteen 
years.  The  party  which  opposed  the  separation  were 
called  the  Conferentie,  the  other  the  Costus.  These 
two  parties  carried  on  a  controversy  of  the  most  deter- 
mined character,  which  disturbed  the  peace  of  neigh- 
borhoods, divided  families,  and  rent  the  churches  into 
factions.  Houses  of  worship  were  locked  up,  ministers 
were  assaulted  in  the  discharge  of  their  functions,  and 
the  holy  sabbath  was  profaned  by  scenes  of  violence 
and  mobs. 

Such  was  the  sad  state  of  things  when  Dr.  John  H. 
Livingston  in  176-  went  to  Holland  to  study  theology, 
and  be  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  By  judi- 
cious personal  conference  with  the  clergy  of  Holland 
he  disarmed  their  prejudices,  and  gave  them  correct 
views  of  the  wants  of  the  Church  in  America.  He  then 
obtained  the  consent  of  the  synod  of  North  Holland 
that  the  classis  of  Amsterdam  should  have  in  its  charge 
all  the  matters  relating  to  the  American  churches. 
He  then  returned  to  this  country,  was  settled  in  New 
York,  and  soon  after  called  a  convention  of  ministers 


100 

and  elders,  which  met  in  that  city  in  October,  1771, 
and  of  which  he  was  chosen  president.  The  conven- 
tion conducted  their  deliberations  in  a  fraternal,  and 
candid  spirit.  The  result  was  the  formation  of  a  plan 
of  union,  which  provided :  1st.  For  the  internal 
arrangement  and  government  of  the  churches,  the 
organization  of  superior  church  courts,  the  establish- 
ment of  a  professorship  for  the  education  of  ministers, 
and  for  the  foundation  of  schools.  2d.  For  the  healing 
of  dissensions  in  the  various  churches.  3d.  For  cor- 
respondence with  the  Church  in  Holland.  It  was  pro- 
vided that  the  minutes  of  the  ecclesiastical  courts  should 
always  be  sent  to  the  classis  of  Amsterdam,  and  that 
the  classis,  or  if  need  be  the  synod  of  North  Holland, 
might  be  appealed  to  in  cases  of  difficulty. 

This  plan  was  cordially  adopted,  sent  to  the  classis 
of  Amsterdam,  and  by  them  approved.  Their  letter  of 
approbation,  expressed  in  the  most  cordial  terms,  and 
breathing  an  excellent  spirit,  was  read  in  convention  in 
October,  1772,  and  peace  was  at  last  restored  to  the 
American  churches. 


NOTE  G. 

Distinguished  individuals  who  have  been  at  different 
times  connected  with  the  congregation  of  the  Reformed 
Protestant  Dutch  Church  of  Albany. 

Abraham  Yates,  Jr. 
Before  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
Mr.  Yates  had  obtained  a  distinguished  and  extensive 
reputation  as  a  patriot.  While  sheriff  of  the  city  and 
county  of  Albany,  he  resisted  the  quartering  of  troops 
upon  its  citizens,  and  was  threatend  with  arrest  by  the 
government  for  so  doing.     He  was  the  author  of  a 


) 


101 

series  of  letters  signed  Rough  Hewer,  which  had  an 
extensive  circulation,  and  exercised  an  influence  second 
only  to  the  famous  articles,  entitled  Common  Sense,  in 
giving  character  and  direction  to  public  sentiment.  He 
was  chairman  of  the  committee  of  public  safety,  during 
part  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  a  member  of  the  con- 
vention which  formed  the  first  constitution  of  the  state, 
recorder  and  mayor  of  the  city  of  Albany,  and  held 
other  offices  of  trust  and  distinction. 

Hon.  Robert  Yates. 
He  was  a  cousin  of  Hon.  Abraham  Yates,  Jr.,  and  a 
man  of  note  in  his  day.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  con- 
vention which  formed  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States.  In  1777,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  first 
justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  New  York,  and  in 
1790,  became  chief  justice  of  the  same.  He  was  a  man 
of  great  intellectual  power,  and  largely  contributed  to 
the  success  of  our  struggle  for  national  independence. 

Samuel  Stringer,  M.  D. 
Dr.  Stringer,  was  a  man  of  great  eminence  in  the 
profession  of  medicine,  and  ranked  among  the  first 
practitioners  of  his  day.  He  was  also  an  ardent 
patriot.  He  was  chairman  of  the  committee  of  public 
safety  in  this  city  during  a  part  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  was  also  surgeon  general  of  the 
forces  under  Gen.  Schuyler,  during  that  memorable 
struggle.  A  man  of  fine  education,  distinguished  pro- 
fessional abilities,  ardent  zeal  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of 
his  country,  great  dignity  of  manners,  and  gentleman- 
liness  of  deportment,  he  deservedly  commanded  high 
respect,  and  occupied  a  very  prominent  place  in  public 
estimation.     He  died  in  1818. 


102 


Brig.  Gen.  Peter  Gansevoort. 

Gen.  Gansevoort's  name  is  identified  honorably  with 
the  history  of  his  country.  He  was  born  in  Albany, 
July  16th,  1749,  and  educated  in  New  Jersey.  In  1775, 
he  was  appointed  by  congress  a  major  in  the  second 
regiment  of  New  York,  and  joined  the  expedition  under 
Gen.  Montgomery.  In  1776,  he  received  a  colonel's 
commission  in  the  third  regiment  of  the  army  of  the 
United  States.  In  1777,  he  commanded  Fort  Stanwix 
during  its  memorable  siege,  and  conducted  its  defence 
with  a  vigor  and  success  which  crowned  his  name  with 
distinguished  honor,  and  for  which  he  received  a  special 
vote  of  thanks  from  congress.  In  1809,  he  received  the 
commission  of  brigadier  general  in  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  in  which  service  he  continued  till  his 
death,  which  occurred  2d  of  July,  1812,  in  the  63d  year 
of  his  age. 

He  was  a  man  of  noble  presence,  and  fearless  and 
magnanimous  spirit ;  of  undaunted  courage,  and  inflexi- 
ble integrity.  His  public  life  was  without  a  blot,  while 
his  private  character  was  of  unimpeachable  morality? 
and  showed  distinctly  the  influence  of  Christian  prin- 
ciple. 

Hon.  Leonard  Gansevoort. 
He  was  the  brother  of  Gen.  Gansevoort.  Much  of  his 
life  was  spent  in  commercial  pursuits,  in  which  he 
always  maintained  a  high  position  as  an  enterprising 
and  honorable  merchant.  He  was  also  a  devoted 
patriot.  He  was  president  of  the  convention  which 
adopted  the  first  constitution  of  this  state,  in  April, 
1777,  and  was  the  first  judge  of  probate  in  the  county 
of  Albany,  which  office  he  held  for  many  years.  The 
later  portion  of  his  life  was  spent  at  Whitehall,  his 
country  seat,  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany,  where  he  ever 


103 

displayed  the  dignified,  and  generous  hospitality  cha- 
racteristic of  those  days.  He  was  a  devoted  member 
of  this  church,  and  sat  as  a  ruling  elder  in  her  councils, 
for  many  years. 


Hon.  Simeon  DeWitt. 
Mr.  DeWitt  was  born  Dec.  25th,  1766,  in  Ulster 
county.  He  was  educated  at  Queens  (now  Rutgers) 
college,  where  he  took  high  rank  as  a  scholar,  and  at 
his  graduation  received  the  double  honor  of  the  salu- 
tatory, and  valedictory  orations.  At  the  time  of  the 
incursion  of  Burgoyne  he  joined  the  army,  and  was 
present  at  the  battle  in  which  that  distinguished  general 
was  defeated,  and  witnessed  his  surrender.  In  1778, 
he  was  appointed  assistant  geographer  (or  as  it  would 
now  be  called,  topographical  engineer),  to  the  army, 
and  in  1780,  on  the  death  of  the  chief  geographer,  Col. 
Robert  Erskine,  he  succeeded  to  that  honorable  and 
important  post.  He  was  attached  to  the  main  army 
from  1780  to  the  close  of  the  war,  was  present  at  the 
siege  of  Yorktown,  and  witnessed  the  surrender  of 
Cornwallis.  In  1784,  he  was  appointed  surveyor 
general  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  held  this  commis- 
sion more  than  fifty  years.  In  1796,  Gen.  Washington, 
with  whom  Mr.  DeWitt  was  on  terms  of  cordial  intimacy, 
without  his  knowledge  or  solicitation,  nominated  him  to 
the  senate,  as  surveyor  general  of  the  United  States, 
which  was  cordially  ratified  by  that  body.  This  flatter- 
ing appointment  Mr.  DeWitt  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to 
accept.  In  1798,  he  was  elected  a  regent;  in  1817,  vice 
chancellor  ;  and  in  1829,  chancellor  of  the  University 
of  New  York.  He  was  a  member  of  various  literary 
and  scientific  associations,  and  frequently  made  valuable 
contributions  with  his  pen  to  the  progress  of  scientific 
inquiry.     He  was  distinguished  for  his  habits  of  close 


104 

study,  and  perseveriog  investigation.  He  was  a  true 
philosopher  with  all  the  treasures,  but  without  any  pride 
of  learning.  His  official  life  was  useful  to  his  country, 
and  honorable  to  himself.  And  in  the  social  relations 
of  life  he  was  warm  in  his  affections,  and  firm  and  true 
in  his  friendships. 

Mr.  DeWitt  was  a  sincere  and  exemplary  Christian. 
For  more  than  twenty  years,  he  was  a  ruling  elder  in 
the  Protestant  Eeformed  Dutch  Church  in  this  city. 
At  the  division  of  the  Church,  in  1815,  he  became 
connected  with  the  Second  Dutch  Church,  where  his 
children  still  remain,  and  where  his  memor}^  is  yet 
precious,  as  the  memory  of  the  just.  He  died  on  the 
3d  of  December,  1834,  within  a  few  days  of  accomplish- 
ing his  79th  year. 

Hon.  John  Lansing,  Jr. 
Mr.  Lansing  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  jurists 
of  his  day.  After  practicing  law  with  signal  ability 
and  success  for  a  number  of  years,  he  was  appointed 
in  1790  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  this  state,  of 
which  in  1798,  he  was  made  chief  justice.  In  1801,  he 
was  made  chancellor,  which  high  office  he  filled  with 
distinguished  ability.  He  was  mayor  of  the  city  of 
Albany  from  1786  to  1790.  In  all  his  public  offices  he 
united  with  great  professional  talent,  an  irreproachable 
moral  character,  and  commanded  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Hon.  Abraham  Van  Yechten. 
Few  names  are  held  in  such  respectful  remembrance 
by  the  citizens  of  Albany  as  the  name  of  Mr.  Van 
Vechten.  He  was  born  at  Catskill,  December  5th, 
1752,  and  educated  at  the  Kingston  Academy.  His  pro- 
gress in  learning  was  so  remarkable   that  he  was  able 


105 

at  the  early  age  of  fourteen,  to  commence  the  study  of 
law  with  chancellor  Lansing  of  this  city,  and  was 
actually  licensed  both  as  attorney  and  counselor,  be- 
fore he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  commenced 
practice  in  this  city  in  1793.  He  was  soon  after  elected 
to  the  senate  of  the  state,  and  for  nearly  thirty  years, 
held  a  seat  in  one  of  the  two  branches  of  the  legislature. 
For  eleven  years  he  was  recorder  of  the  city  of  Albany; 
was  appointed  attorney  general  of  the  state  in  1811^ 
and  was  more  than  once  invited  to  a  seat  on  the  bench 
of  the  supreme  court,  which  honor  he  declined. 

He  made  a  profession  of  religion  about  the  time  he 
commenced  professional  life,  and  was  for  more  than  half  a 
century,  an  active,  consistent,  and  useful  member  of  the 
Church.  He  was  often  an  elder  and  a  member  of  our 
ecclesiastical  courts,  in  which  he  always  exerted  great 
influence. 

Mr.  Van  Vechten  was  a  man  of  vigorous  intellect, 
sound  judgment,  and  remarkable  discrimination.  His 
learning,  particularly  in  jurisprudence,  Avas  various, 
thorough  and  extensive.  In  his  disposition  he  was 
generous  and  benevolent,  simple  in  his  habits,  warm  in 
his  affections,  frank  and  easy  in  his  manners.  He  was 
a  sincere  and  exemplary  Christian.  He  loved  the 
Bible,  and  prayer,  and  the  ordinances  of  the  house  of 
God.  He  was  devotedly  attached  to  the  Dutch  Church, 
and  no  man  in  the  long  list  of  her  members  deserves  to 
be  more  gratefully  remembered  by  that  Church. 


Hon.  Harmanus  Bleecker. 
Mr.  Bleecker  was  the  fifth  in  descent  from  Jan  Jansen 
Bleecker,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Albany, 
and  who  married,  in  1667,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Rutger 
Jacobsen.  He  was  born  October  9th,  1779 ;  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1801;  and  in  1810  was  elected  to  congress 
14 


106 

where  he  served  during  the  troublous  times  of  the  last 
war  with  England.  He  was  one  of  the  regents  of  the 
university,  and  a  commissioner  on  the  pEirt  of  the  state, 
for  settling  the  boundary  between  New  York  and  New 
Jersey.  Under  the  administration  of  president  Van 
Buren,  he  was  sent  as  American  minister  to  the  Hague, 
Very  few  of  our  foreign  ministers  have  made  such  a 
favorable  impression  abroad.  During  his  residence  in 
Holland  he  married  Miss  Sebastiana  Cornelia  Mentz,  an 
accomplished  lady,  who  still  survives  him  in  her  native 
land. 

Mr.  Bleecker  was  a  man  of  uncommon  literary  attain- 
ments and  high  cultivation.  He  was  dignified  in  his 
manners,  and  aflfable  and  courteous  in  his  deportment. 
He  spoke  and  wrote  in  the  Dutch  language  with  great 
purity  and  elegance,  and  was  on  this  account  very 
popular  during  his  residence  abroad.  He  was  a  man  of 
irreproachable  character,  a  consistent  supporter  of  the 
institutions  of  religion,  and  more  than  usually  versed  in 
the  science  of  theology.  He  died  at  his  residence  in 
Albany,  July  19th,  1849,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 


Hon.  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  precious  names  connected 
with  the  Church  of  Albany.  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer  was 
born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  November  1st,  1764,  and 
graduated  at  Harvard  University  in  1782.  In  1789,  he 
was  chosen  to  the  legislature  of  this  state,  and  in  1795, 
when  only  thirty-one  years  of  age,  was  called  to 
preside  over  the  senate  as  lieutenant  governor.  He 
held  this  position  six  years.  From  1800  to  1820,  he 
was  frequently  a  member  of  assembly,  sat  in  two 
conventions  called  to  revise  the  constitution,  and  in 
1822  was  elected  to  the  congress  of  the  United  States. 
For  the  last  fourteen  years  of  his  life  he  was  president 


107 

of  the  canal  board,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was 
chancellor  of  the  University  of  New  York. 

He  began  his  military  career  in  1787,  and  during  the 
last  war  with  Great  Britain  he  held  the  commission  of 
major  general,  commanded  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  and 
was  engaged  with  honor  in  the  battle  of  Queenstown. 

In  1825,  he  received  from  Yale  College  the  honorary 
degree  of  doctor  of  laws.  He  died  suddenly  at  the 
Manor  House,  January  26th,  1839. 

The  following  extract  from  a  discourse  delivered  in 
his  memory  by  his  eloquent  and  intimate  friend,  Rev. 
George  W.  Bethune,  D.  D.,  at  Philadelphia,  February 
3d,  1839,  contains  a  just  analysis  of  his  character,  and 
tribute  to  his  worth. 

"  Born  to  a  large  patrimony,  the  increasing  prosperity 
of  the  country  poured  wealth  upon  him,  until  he  be- 
came, with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  one  other,  the 
richest  man  of  the  land;  and  wearing,  by  the  common 
consent  of  all  around  him,  the  only  hereditary  title 
known  among  us,  he  swayed  an  influence  wider  than 
any  other  private  citizen  possessed.  Cautious,  but  not 
cold ;  frank,  but  never  rash  ;  without  the  qualities  of  fer- 
vid genius,  or  depth  of  learning,  he  had  a  judgment  sin- 
gularly clear  and  correct,  a  pure  common  sense,  which 
rarely  failed  to  guide  him  in  duties  which  his  conscience 
loved.  Surrounded  by  grateful  dependents  and  affec- 
tionate friends,  though  there  could  not  be  wanting  those 
who  would  have  preyed  upon  his  abounding  fortunes, 
he  has  gone  to  his  grave  without  an  enemy. 

"  The  beauty  of  his  wisdom  was  his  guilelessness,  the 
strength  of  his  power  was  his  goodness,  and  the  abun- 
dance of  his  wealth  his  vast  benevolence. 

"  His  greatness  was  like  that  of  a  noble  tree,  planted 
by  the  river  of  the  water  of  life,  spreading  wide  its 
sheltering  arms  to  overshadow  all  who  needed  refuge, 
which  yielded  perennial  fruits,  and  "  whose  leaf  never 


108 

faded."  His  bounty  was  not  the  occasional  and  noisy 
gushes  of  ostentatious  pride,  but  silent,  secret,  and 
gentle  as  the  dew,  refreshing  far  and  near,  yet  with  a 
kindly  care  for  the  lowliest  herb  of  the  field,  healing 
but  never  wounding  the  heart  it  blessed ;  while  every 
drop  glistened  in  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness, 
and  was  exhaled  to  heaven.         *  *  *  * 

''An  elder  in  the  church  of  his  fathers,  he  seemed 
to  count  it  his  best  honor  to  serve  the  followers  of  Jesus; 
and  when  a  member  of  ecclesiastical  courts,  as  he  fre- 
quently was,  he  never  shrank  from  any  labor,  nor  became 
"  weary  in  well  doing."  It  may  be  safely  said,  that  the 
church  he  so  much  loved,  approaching  as  it  does,  more 
nearly  than  any  other,  the  order  of  the  apostolic  age, 
became  dearer,  and  yet  dearer  to  his  heart  as  he  drew 
near  his  end. 

''  Yet  sect  could  not  confine  the  charity  of  his  spirit. 
We  dare  not  claim  him  as  wholly  our  own.  He  belong- 
ed to  Christianity,  to  the  world,  because  he  belonged  to 
God  and  Christ ;  and  never  was  his  aid  sought  in  any 
cause  of  benevolence,  morals  or  piety  (and  the  applica- 
tions were  as  constant  as  the  day,  and  numerous  as  its 
hours,)  that  his  answer  was  not  that  of  "  the  cheerful 
giver"  whom  "  the  Lord  loves. " 

"But  it  was  in  his  home  that  the  Christian  shone  most 
radiantly  and  sweetly,  where  his  gentle  spirit  found  de- 
lightful fellowship  with  the  innocence  of  children,  and 
the  quiet  loveliness  of  kindred  affection.  The  guest, 
who  crossed  that  threshold,  forgot  he  was  a  stranger,  and 
though  poor,  amidst  all  the  appliances  of  uncounted 
wealth,  felt  only  that  he  was  at  home.  Alas!  for  the 
bereaved  hearts  within  that  dwelling  which  knows  him 
now  no  more !     God  comfort  them  ! 

"Long  suffering  had  chastened  his  spirit  to  an  almost 
heavenly  purity,  and  they,  who  "marked  the  perfect, 
and  beheld  the  upright,"   saw,  that  "the  end  of  that 


109 

man  was  peace."  In  the  midst  of  his  affectionate  child- 
ren and  near  his  devoted  wife,  within  the  hall  where 
the  servant  of  God,  and  the  friend  of  man,  ever  found 
an  unfeigned  welcome,  his  venerable  head  fell  gently 
upon  his  bosom.  He  was  asleep  in  Jesus.  His  flesh 
shall  rest  in  hope,  but  his  spirit  is  now  singing  the  song 
in  heaven  he  loved  to  sing  on  earth.  He  "rests  from 
his  labors,  and  his  works  have  followed  him." 


Hon.  Kiltan  K.  Van  Rensselaer. 

Mr.  Van  Rensselaer  was  the  son  of  Kilian  Van  Rens- 
selaer, Esq.,  of  Greenbush.  His  father  was  at  one  time 
chairman  of  the  general  committee  of  safety  for  the 
northern  department  of  New  York,  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Three  of  the  sons  served  as  commissioned  officers 
in  that  war,  and  two  of  them  were  severely  wounded  in 
different  engagements. 

He  was  educated  for  the  legal  profession,  in  which  he 
for  many  years  held  a  high  rank  in  this  city.  He  served 
for  several  years  in  the  city  councils,  and  about  1800, 
was  elected  to  congress.  He  retained  his  seat  for  five 
successive  terms  and  was  always  distinguished  for  his 
intelligence,  his  decision  of  character,  his  integrity,  and 
the  urbanity  of  his  manners. 

He  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  this  Church,  and 
was  often  elected  to  a  seat  in  consistory. 

He  died  June  iSih,  1845,  at  the  age  of  82,  haviug 
always  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fellow 
citizens,  and  leaving  behind  him  a  spotless  memory^ 
Three  of  his  sons  still  survive  him,  and  are  among  the 
most  respectable  citizens  of  Albany;  one  of  them.  Gen. 
John  S.  Van  Rensselaer,  being  the  father  of  the  gallant 
and  lamented  Charles  M.  Van  Rensselaer,  first  officer  of 
the  ill-fated  steamer  Central  America. 


110 


Maj.  Gen.  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer. 
Gen.  Van  Eensselaer,  was  the  son  of  Gen.  Henry  R. 
Van  Rensselaer  of  Revolutionary  memory,  and  was 
born  August  Gth,  1774.  He  joined  the  army  before  he 
was  eighteen  years  of  age,  under  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne. 
His  gallantry  at  that  early  age  was  conspicuous,  and  his 
promotion  was  rapid,  so  that  he  commanded  a  troop 
before  he  had  reached  the  age  of  twenty.  In  the  battle 
of  the  Miami,  in  1794,  he  was  shot  through  the  lungs, 
and  almost  by  miracle  survived  the  wound.  After  the 
disbanding  of  the  army  he  was  appointed  adjutant  gene- 
ral of  this  state  under  Gov.  Jay,  which  post  he  held  for 
a  number  of  years.  During  the  last  war  he  was  aid  to 
Maj.  Gen.  Stephen  Yan  Rensselaer  on  the  Niagara 
frontier,  and  rendered  brilliant  and  effective  service 
throughout  the  campaign.  At  the  battle  of  Queenstown 
he  received  six  balls  in  different  parts  of  his  body,  one 
of  which  he  carried  to  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  1818  he  was  elected  to  congress,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  office  was  re-elected.  Under  President 
Monroe  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Albany,  and 
held  this  office  under  Adams  and  Jackson.  In  1839,  he 
was  a  delegate  to  the  national  convention  at  Harrisburgh, 
which  nominated  Gen.  Harrison  for  the  presidency. 
From  President  Harrison  he  received  again  the  appoint- 
ment of  postmaster  at  Albany.  The  last  years  of  his  life 
were  spent  in  the  bosom  of  his  affectionate  famil}^  at 
Cherry  Hill,  where  he  died  April  23d,  1852,  in  the  78th 
year  of  his  age,  leaving  behind  him  the  memory  of  a 
gallant  soldier,  a  true  patriot,  and  a  faithful  servant  of 
his  country. 


Ill 


Abraham  G.  Lansing,  Esq. 

The  estimation  in  which  Mr.  Lansing  was  held  by 
the  public  may  be  well  inferred  from  the  following 
obituary  notice  from  the  pen  of  his  distinguished  friend, 
Abraham  Van  Vechten,  Esq.,  which  appeared  in  the 
Albany  Argus,  September,  1834. 

"  It  is  due  to  the  memory  of  those  who  have  well 
performed  their  part  on  the  stage  of  life,  that  their 
example  should  be  held  forth  for  imitation  after  their 
departure  hence  ;  for  in  this  way  it  furnishes  a  useful 
lesson  to  their  survivors.  The  recent  death  of  Abraham 
G.  Lansing,  Esq.,  at  the  advanced  age  of  77  years, 
afibrds  such  a  lesson. 

"  Mr.  Lansing  was  a  native  of  this  city,  and  a  zealous 
and  active  supporter  of  the  liberties  of  our  country 
during  the  American  Revolution.  His  merit  and  patri- 
otism at  an  early  period  attracted  the  attention  and 
engaged  the  confidence  of  our  distinguished  leaders  in 
that  arduous  contest,  who  confided  to  him  several  im- 
portant ofiices,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  with 
faithfulness  and  ability.  After  the  war  of  our  independ- 
ence was  ended,  Mr.  Lansing  received  appointments  to 
various  responsible  public  offices,  from  the  United  States, 
as  well  as  from  this  state,  in  all  of  which  he  merited 
and  preserved  the  undiminished  confidence  and  esteem 
of  his  fellow  citizens.  Happy  in  his  domestic  relations, 
with  an  amiable  and  interesting  family,  who  delighted 
to  minister  to  his  comfort  and  happiness,  he  led  a  life 
of  benevolence  and  usefulness,  and  died  in  the  faith  and 
hope  of  a  humble  Christian,  and  is  buried  in  the  affec- 
tions of  his  bereaved  wife,  children,  and  friends." 


112 


Hon.  Charles  E.  Dudley. 

The  name  of  Mr.  Dudley,  already  distinguished  by 
his  own  character  and  public  services,  has  been  ren- 
dered still  more  extensively  so,  by  the  noble  monument, 
which  the  affection  and  munificence  of  his  widow  has 
reared  to  his  memory,  and  on  which  she  has  inscribed 
his  name  in  letters  as  bright  as  the  stars  to  which  it 
points. 

Descended  from  one  of  the  most  ancient  of  the  noble 
families  of  England,  Mr.  Dudley  was  thoroughly  and 
deeply  attached  to  this  country,  the  land  of  his  adop- 
tion, and  of  his  life  and  labors.  After  engaging  for 
years  in  the  honorable  and  useful  pursuits  of  commer- 
cial life,  in  which  he  was  very  successful,  he  retired  to 
Albany,  and  became  happily  connected  in  marriage 
with  one  of  its  most  ancient  and  respectable  families. 
He  w^as  soon  called  to  preside  over  the  municipal 
government  of  the  city ;  thence  he  was  transferred  to 
the  senate  of  the  state,  where  "  he  identified  his  name 
with  beneficent  measures,which  have  contributed  largely 
to  the  intellectual  progress  and  material  prosperity  of 
the  state."  He  was  afterward  elected  to  the  senate  of 
the  United  States,  and  in  that  body,  which  was  then 
illuminated  by  those  brilliant  stars.  Clay,  Webster,  and 
Calhoun,  and  Silas  Wright,  his  distinguished  colleague, 
he  shone  with  no  ordinary  lustre.  Intelligence,  candor, 
patriotism,  and  independence,  characterized  his  course 
as  a  statesman,  no  less  than  his  character  as  a  man. 

"  It  was  his  fortune,"  says  Gov.  Hunt,  in  his  address 
at  the  inauguration  of  the  Dudley  Observatory,  "to 
act  a  prominent  part  on  the  stage  of  public  events  in 
times  of  intense  political  excitement.  Though  decided 
in  his  opinions,  adhering  always  to  his  avowed  princi- 
ples with  unyielding  firmness,  party  spirit  never  ven- 
tured to  assail  the  integrity  of  his  conduct,  or  to  ques- 


113 

tion  the  purity  of  his  intentions.  He  cherished  warm 
political  attachments,  yet  he  was  no  partisan,  in  the 
ordinary  sense.  If  he  loved  Caesar  much,  he  loved 
Kome  more,  and  regarded  the  welfare  of  his  country 
as  paramount  to  the  interests  of  any  party."  His  long 
acquaintance  with  commerce,  and  knowledge  of  the 
laws  of  trade,  gave  him  peculiar  advantages  on  ques- 
tions which  related  to  the  commercial  interests  of  the 
country ;  and  his  views  on  these  subjects  always  com- 
manded a  larger  measure  of  consideration. 

From  the  period  of  his  marriage,  Mr.  Dudley  was  a 
regular  worshiper  in  the  Dutch  Church,  in  connection 
with  which  he  remained  during  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  was  a  man  who  had  a  sincere  reverence  for 
the  institutions  of  religion,  and  his  moral  character 
was  above  reproach.  He  professed  his  faith  in  Christ  in 
his  last  illness,  and  the  hopes  of  the  gospel  cheered  him 
in  his  dying  hours.  He  was  dignified  and  courteous  in 
his  manners,  and  commanded  the  respect  of  the  public 
as  truly  as  he  won  the  afiection  of  his  friends. 

He  died  in  Albany  in  1841.  His  aftectionate  widow 
still  survives  him,  herself  the  descendant  of  one  of  the 
first  magistrates  of  the  city,  and  one  of  the  oldest  mem- 
bers of  the  Dutch  Church  of  Albany.  Through  her 
lamented  husband  and  herself,  the  name  of  Dudley  will 
be  rendered  memorable,  when  centuries  hence,  the  as- 
tronomer shall  watch  the  stars  which  look  down  upon 
their  graves  in  silent  and  solemn  beauty. 


15 


114 


Rey.  William  J.  Pohlman. 

Mr.  Ponlman  was  born  in  Albany  February  17th, 
1812.  He  was  trained  np  by  pious  parents  in  the 
nurture,  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  and  was  the  sub- 
ject of  deep  religious  impressions  from  his  earliest 
years.  When  he  was  about  16  years  of  age  he  became 
a  decided  Christian,  and  eighteen  months  after,  he  con- 
nected himself  with  this  Church.  Feeling  then  an 
ardent  desire  to  devote  himself  to  the  Gospel  ministry, 
he  commenced  a  course  of  preparatory  study,  passed 
through  Eutgers  College  and  the  theological  seminary, 
and  was  duly  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Rev.  Classis  of 
Albany,  July  27th,  1837.  He  now  determined  to  devote 
himself  to  the  foreign  missionary  work,  and  applied  to 
the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions  to  be  employed  by  them  on  heathen  ground. 
His  application  was  cordially  granted,  and  in  April, 
1838,  he  was  ordained  in  this  Church  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  On  the  20th  of  May,  1838,  he  was  solemnly 
set  apart  to  the  work  of  foreign  missions,  and  immedi- 
atel^^left  for  the  island  of  Borneo,  which  was  designated 
as  the  field  of  his  labors.  In  1844,  he  was  transferred 
to  the  mission  at  Amoy,  in  China,  where  he  labored 
with  zeal  and  fidelity  for  about  five  years.  In  January 
1849,  while  passing  from  Hong  Kong  to  Amoy,  the 
vessel  in  which  he  sailed  encountered  a  severe  storm, 
in  which  she  foundered,  and  Mr.  Pohlman  was  among 
the  lost. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Kennedy,  who  was  at  that  time  pastor 
of  this  Church,  and  who  knew  Mr.  Pohlman  well,  in  a 
discourse  delivered  in  his  memory  in  May,  1849,  says 
of  him,  that  he  "  possessed  elements  of  character,  that 
fitted  him  for  extended  usefulness  among  the  heathen. 
His  piety  took  the  form  of  a  deep  controlling  principle. 
It  governed  him  in  every  thing  he  did.     Were  I  to 


115 

select  what  seems  to  me  to  have  been  the  prominent 
feature  of  his  mental  constitution,  I  would  say  it  was 
perseverance.  And  the  union  of  these  two  elements,  deep 
piety,  and  unwearying  perseverance,  gave  a  cast  to  the 
entire  character,  and  fitted  him  in  an  eminent  degree 
for  the  toils  and  trials  of  the  missionary  life.  Diflicul- 
ties  never  discouraged  him.  Obstacles  only  nerved  him 
to  greater  exertions.  He  was  cheerful  in  duty,  prudent 
in  counsel,  amiable  in  disposition,  and  cordial  and  firm 
in  his  friendships." 


LIST  OF  THE  PASTOES 

OP  \ 

THE  CHURCH  AT  ALBANY 


Rev.   Johannes  Megapolensis, 1642  to  1649, 

Gideon  Schaats, 1652  to  1683, 

Niewenhuysen, 1675  to , 

Godfreidus  Dellius, 1683  to  1699, 

Johannes  Petrus  Nucella, 1699  to  1702, 

Johannes  Lydius, 1703  to  1709, 

Petrus  Yan  Driessen, 1712  to  1739, 

Cornelius  Van  Schie, 1733  to  1744, 

Theodorus  Frelinghuysen, 1746  to  1760, 

Eilardus  "Westerlo, 1760  to  1790, 

John  Bassett, 1787  to  1805, 

John  B.  Johnson, 1796  to  1802, 

John  M.  Bradford, 1805  to  1820, 

John  DeWitt, 1813  to  1815, 

John  Ludlow, 1823  to  1833, 

Thomas  E.  Yermilye, 1835  to  1839, 

Duncan  Kennedy, 1841  to  1855, 

Ebenezer  P.  Rogers, 1856. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  CHURCH, 

FOR    185  8. 


Pastor, 
Rev.  Ebenezer  P.  Rogers,  D.  D. 

Elders, 
John  Q.  Wilson,  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer 

Philip  Ford,  Edmund  S.  Herrick.f 

Deacons, 
David  Newland,  Maurice  E,  Viele,J 

Edward  Dunscomb,  William  Seymour.§ 

Trustees, 

Jacob  H.  Ten  E^^ck,  Alfred  Van  Santvoord, 

Peter  Gansevoort,  John  H.  Reynolds, 

Lansing  Pruyn,  Henry  Lansing, 

Robert  H.  Pruyn,  S.  Oakley  Vanderpoel, 

Henry  T.  Buell. 

Treasurer, 
Richard  Van  Rensselaer. 

*«?Iu  place  of  Wm.  McElroy,  Elder,  1856-7. 
t  do          Timothy  Seymour,     do. 

t         do         Jacob  J.  DeForest,  Deacon,  1856-7. 
§  do         David  McMicken,  do. 


118 


AN  ACT 
In  relation  to  the  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of 

THE  reformed  PROTESTANT  DUTCH  CHURCH  IN  THE 
CITY  OF  ALBANY. 

Passed  February  4th,  1857. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in 
Senate  and  Assembly,  do  enact  as  follows : 

Section"  1.  The  corporation  known  as  the  minister, 
elders  and  deacons  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch 
Church  in  the  City  of  Albany,  shall  hereafter  be  known 
and  styled  as  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church 
of  the  City  of  Albany. 

§  2.  The  proceedings  of  said  Church,  pursuant  to  the 
provisions  of  chapter  ninety,  of  the  laws  of  eighteen 
hundred  and  thirty-five,  entitled  "An  act  to  amend  the 
charter  of  the  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the 
Second  Protestant  Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  the  City 
of  Albany,"  to  vest  the  property  of  said  corporation  in 
a  board  of  trustees,  are  hereby  confirmed. 

§  3.  Jacob  H.  Ten  Eyck,  Peter  Gansevoort,  Robert 
H.  Pruyn,  John  H.  Reynolds,  Lansing  Pruyn,  Alfred 
Van  Sanford,  S.  Oakley  Yanderpoel,  S.  Visscher  Talcott, 
Henry  S.  Lansing,  the  trustees  of  said  Church,  elected 
in  the  month  of  January,  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  fifty-six,  are  hereby  declared  to  be  the  first  trustees 
of  said  corporation,  to  hold  their  offices  for  the  term  of 
one,  two  and  three  years,  from  the  first  Monday  of 
March,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six,  agree- 
ably to  the  classification  into  three  classes  made  imme- 
diately after  their  said  election,  in  pursuance  of  law. 


119 

And  on  the  first  Monday  of  March,  in  each  and  every 
year,  an  election  shall  be  held  for  three  trustees  of  said 
corporation,  in  place  of  those  whose  term  shall  then 
expire,  and  at  the  same  time  to  fill  any  vacancies  which 
may  not  have  been  filled  by  said  trustees,  and  also  elect 
three  inspectors  of  election.  At  least  one  week's  notice 
of  the  time  and  place  of  holding  said  election  shall  be 
given  by  notice  from  the  pulpit  of  said  Church,  or  by 
affixing  a  written  notice  on  the  outer  door  thereof 
Said  trustees  shall  appoint  three  persons  to  hold  said 
election  on  the  first  Monday  of  March  next,  and  shall 
have  power  to  fill  any  vacancies  which  may  exist  there- 
after, for  any  reason  whatever.  And  in  the  event  of 
such  election  not  being  held  in  any  year,  the  trustees 
whose  term  shall  expire  in  that  year,  shall  hold  office 
until  their  successors  shall  be  elected,  and  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  trustees,  within  three  months  thereafter, 
to  fix  the  time  and  place  of  holding  said  election,  and 
to  give  notice  thereof  as  aforesaid. 

§  4.  The  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  of  the 
City  of  Albany  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  and  collect 
all  rents  reserved  in  and  by  any  and  all  leases  of  pews 
in  the  Church,  belonging  to  said  corporation,  heretofore 
made  by  the  minister,  elders  and  deacons  of  the  Re- 
formed Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  the  City  of  Albany, 
as  fully  as  if  their  corporate  name  had  not  been  changed 
as  hereinbefore  provided. 

§  5.  But  nothing  herein  shall  be  construed  to  affect 
any  action  now  pending  in  favor  of  or  against  the  said 
corporation;  and  in  case  any  suit  shall  be  hereafter 
commenced  against  the  said  corporation  in  this  state,  or 
elsewhere,  by  any  person  or  party  not  knowing  the 
change  of  the  corporate  name  of  said  corporation,  it 
shall  not  be  authorized  to  plead  a  misnomer,  but  shall 
answer  or  plead  to  the  merits  of  the  action,  stating  in 
such  answer  the  true  name  of  said  corporation;  and 


120 

such  action  shall  proceed  against  it,  in  either  name, 
according  to  the  practice  of  the  court  in  which  such 
action  shall  be  pending;  and  any  judgment  recovered 
therein  shall  be  as  valid  as  if  the  action  had  been  com- 
menced and  conducted  against  the  said  corporation  by 
its  true  name. 

§  6.  This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 


A't/! 


■y:'.-.'Jx'.)]\: 


